In Memoriam: Sister Mary Patricia Plumb

In January, Sister Mary Patricia Plumb, SNJM A’55, completed her earthly journey and joined members of her family and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary in heaven. Much like her life, her loss made a tremendous impact on the Academy community.

A native of Florida, Sister Mary Patricia entered the SNJM community after graduating from the Academy in 1955. Her roles in education spanned many areas: she was a teacher, including at Boys Academy, vice principal and campus minister. Though she loved teaching, Sister Mary Patricia’s greatest passions were campus ministry and speech and debate. She earned a 7th Diamond award as a National Speech & Debate Association coach, and she is a member of the organization’s Hall of Fame.

The Academy community will remember Sister Mary Patricia for her abilities to listen and love, for pushing people to be their very best, and for her quick wit and no-nonsense personality. Tributes to her could fill an entire magazine, and just a few are shared here. Upon her passing, Academy President Art Raimo said, “The Academy and the Sisters of the Holy Names are thought of as one — Sister Mary Patricia’s life work is a testament to that. She embodies the Academy’s motto ‘Esse Quam Videri,’ or ‘To be, rather than to seem,’ better than anyone I know.”

Tributes

Sister Patsy was one of us before she was all the magnificent things she became, and in some ways, she is the best of us. … Just knowing we’re part of the same chain that produced these remarkable women is something that keeps me going. - Victoria McGovern A’81

When I was upset, I didn’t go to the guidance counselor; I went to Sister. I think a lot of that was because she listened. She sat there, and she would look at you, and she would ask you questions. … She saw you, and I think it’s from her that I really learned how to take care of people and really learned how to value people. - Lizzie Dolan A’17

She was so pivotal in my formation as a woman — to be able to stand in my own power and speak up for myself. … The years at the Academy would not have been the same without her. It was such a great time. Nothing will ever replace those years. If it hadn’t been for her, I don’t know that I would be the person I am today. - Tara Zaccagnino A’87 Those of us that feel like Sister is ours, we all share a really incredible connection because there just was no one quite like her. … She told me often enough that I was strong and smart until I believed it, and I think it’s really incredible that she was always available to us. … She is forever our patron saint. She’s listening, she’s guiding us, and she’s going to be a voice in the back of all of our heads forever. I’m just so grateful to have been part of the family of children that she really had.  Jennifer Emerson Hernandez A’89 SMP2 truly was an icon in Tampa. She dedicated her life to social justice, helping others and encouraging others to grow and use their talents to help our world. She was compassionate, hilarious, honest and one of the coolest people I have ever met. She’s the type of person I’ve looked up to when imagining how I want to try to live my life. I can still hear her voice on the intercom saying, “This is not an optional experience,” when telling us we needed to do something ... and, of course, we listened because SMP2 was cool but also pretty scary. - Lindsey Backman A’11

I was so fond of her in high school and grade school. She’s been a wonderful asset to the Academy, the Sisters and all of us who knew her. … Patsy was always the one who told us a lot of things that we were not very clever about handling. She was always a very commonsense person, and she always had a good answer for anything and everything we used to discuss. She was very smart, clever and a big inspiration to us. - Beverly Bush A’55

Outside my family, Sister Mary Patricia Plumb had the biggest impact on who I am today. She challenged me not just to dream big but to do big. She lived our school’s motto, “To be, rather than to seem,” daily, and more importantly, she has encouraged me and so many others to do the same! By far, one of the funniest memories I recall was when Sister was driving one of the Academy vans to a tournament and exiting the interstate; she realized she had gotten off at the wrong exit. She immediately stopped the van and proceeded to back up onto the interstate. As all of us in the van were in shock, Sister responded, “Don’t worry, God is on my side.” God was on her side, and [now] God is not just on her side but by her side!  Lisa Griffin Hodgdon A’90

THE ENDOWED SISTER MARY PATRICIA PLUMB SCHOLARSHIP FUND

This fund is created in memory of Sister Mary Patricia Plumb, SNJM A’55, in honor of her national recognition and the legions of students who fondly remember her for developing AHN’s National Forensics League program. Awards will be presented annually to a rising 8th grader and a rising senior speech and debate student. When Sister Mary Patricia Plumb passed away, her family requested donations be made to AHN with the hope of establishing an endowed scholarship in her memory. Richard Gonzmart B’67 and his wife, Melanie Heiny Gonzmart A’72, have generously donated a $50,000 challenge gift hoping to inspire others to honor Sister Mary Patricia’s memory in a meaningful way. Gonzmart said, “Sister Patricia Plumb had a significant and lifelong impact on me. She realized my challenges with dyslexia and ADD, and assisted me academically. Far more importantly, though, she reinforced my self-esteem in the classroom. I owe much of my strong Catholic faith and the person I am today to [her].” Anyone can make gifts in Sister Mary Patricia Plumb’s memory at holynamestpa.org/smp.