N. Patricia (Howley) Kerwin, age 91, of Quincy, died peacefully, Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at home. Pat was a loving wife to her late husband, Thomas, a devoted mother to her seven children, a former small business owner, and a prolific painter.

Pat was born in Dorchester, in February 1931, one year to the month after her parents, Patrick and Mary (Broderick) emigrated to the United States from Galway, Ireland with her two older siblings. Like many of her generation, Pat helped her family weather the difficulties of World War II and after the devastating, life changing industrial accident for her father, sought employment in her neighborhood at the tender age of 13. Pat worked every day after school and on Saturdays helping a family with housekeeping and babysitting amongst other jobs. At sixteen she became employed at Filene’s (Boston) in the stock room and worked her way up to become a sales associate in the fine jewelry department and as one of Filene’s own department store models. Always glamorous and impeccably dressed, Pat loved working at Filene’s.

In 1953, she married Tom at St. Peter’s Parish in Dorchester and by the age of 31, was busy with seven children of her own while helping her husband with his manufacturer’s representative business. After her children were grown, she worked as an office manager for The French Company and later, upon her husband’s passing, helped run Kerwin Associates in the Boston Design Center.

Upon her retirement twenty years ago, Pat re-focused on her interest in art, taking painting classes at the Quincy Arts Association and privately. Pat’s devotion to God was known to all who knew and loved her. She was deeply spiritual and prayerful, with daily recitation of the Rosary, and was well known for sending cards and thoughtful messages to those who she knew and loved with promises to pray for them. Her faith sustained her during her difficult times. Pat believed in kindness and equality for all and advocated for those less fortunate, never forgetting the difficult times of her childhood.

Pat loved all children and thus was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She will be forever missed by her loving children: Thomas, Robert, Mark, Joanne, Maureen, Joseph, Eileen and their spouses as well as her sixteen grandchildren: Thomas, Elizabeth, Patrick, James, Lyndsay, Robert, John, Thomas, Nora, Daniel, Joseph, Alannah, Jack, Camille, Grace, and Christopher and her three great grandchildren: George, Hannah, and James. Pat was predeceased by her beloved siblings: Thomas, Mary, Margie, Robert, Patrick, Johannah, and James.

In accordance with her wishes, a Funeral Mass was celebrated privately at Divine Mercy Parish in Sacred Heart Church, Quincy. An attendee all her life at St. Anthony’s Shrine in Boston, donations can be made in her name, if so desired, to St. Anthony’s Shrine, Attn: Development Office, 100 Arch Street, Boston, MA 02110 or www.stanthonyshrine.org. Pat will be remembered for her loving, nurturing way and her empathy and kindness for all. Please practice an act of kindness for someone in her memory.