Patricia Ann Barber Trotman is best remembered by her dash. While her Sunrise was July 9, 1937 and her Sunset was January 11, 2025 what was important to us was her dash – all of her glorious days in between. Growing up in Roxbury Massachusetts, the oldest of 6 children, she loved and pampered them, especially the last three as she was born an old soul. Her mother, Dorothea, proudly exclaimed to anyone who would listen that "Patsy" was the perfect daughter in many ways assisting her immensely with her other children. As for her father, Sonny, she was the apple-of-his-eye. She was a great student and she had an outstanding work ethic that surpassed her dreams and guided her future. Patsy enjoyed assisting her mother with her siblings, and often shared that her desire was to be the mother of three girls. Wish granted! Sydné, Lyrae and Leigh were born to her and she nurtured and loved them with every fiber of her being.

Education was very important to her and she appreciated that while college was not an option upon her graduation from Roxbury Memorial High School in 1955, it was just a dream deferred. While her 2 youngest were at the Lee School, she took the opportunity to be a lunch mother and then a paraprofessional there. Pat was a very personable, intelligent and caring woman who made friends from all walks of life. At the Lee she was mentored by many teachers of varying backgrounds. These relationships helped jumpstart her journey and she began taking classes at Boston State College in the mid-seventies. Semester by semester, class by class she worked hard buying her own home, and then another, until finally graduating from Bridgewater State College in 1981 with her teaching license. She also earned her Masters in Education from UMass/Boston. Mrs. Trotman spent years as a classroom teacher and then an administrator for the Office of Instructional Technology (OIT) in the Boston Public School system from which she retired in 2001.

Pat was fearless and inquisitive. She loved to travel, and she had a great appreciation for music and the arts. Many of these travels occurred over the years through the Earthwatch Program. Surely growing up in Roxbury she never dreamt she would attend archeological digs in Spain and France. However, she seized the opportunity and attended quite a few. The Montreal Jazz Festival was also a favorite staple of her agenda called "life". Other passions were her collection of beautiful works of art, and her beloved collection of swans. Swans were her love-symbol and many adorned the walls and shelves of her home in the same manner as they filled her heart. Come by – you get a swan and you get a swan!

Pat's parting gifts were traveling over the last 10 years to Portugal, Italy, and the Dominican Republic with her daughters Sydné, Lyrae and son-in-love Dolph, Leigh; her grands Taylor Patricia, Jason and her grand-daughter-in-love Kyrah; and great grands Azaia and Richmond. These memories will be forever cherished because they were the gift of time well-spent and very much enjoyed. Her last treasured foray was moving Azaia into college at the University of San Diego last September.

Pat was proud of all her children, grands and greats. They were her greatest gift, and she theirs. Her siblings Jonnie (Nancie), Eileen (Eddie), Cookie (Tipp), Bryant (Charlene) and Paul held a special place in her heart as did her aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews for it was a large heart with room enough for all. As her dear friend Nancye shared, "Your mother was larger than life. She was the center of all of you, and she has a left a big hole." As we sat with her in her last days, we were made whole by the stories that we shared of the "dash" that created who we are as people and as a family - and for that we are most grateful.