Dr. Patricia Lee Kistenmacher passed away peacefully on October 21, 2014. Funeral Services for Patricia will be at 3:00pm, Thursday, October 29, 2014 at the Lohman Funeral Home in Deland. Visitation for Patty will be from 11am till time of services. Interment will be at Hill Crest Park Cemetery, Springfield, MA.
Patty was born in, NY to the late Helen Mae P Diamond and Wallace E. Bennett. As a young girl Patty's love for animals began as she would take injured and lost animals, nurse them back to health and release them. She graduated from the University of NY at Albany in 1956 and began her lifelong work of helping children. Patty moved to Pittsfield, MA where she accepted a position as an actuarial programmer at the Berkshire Life Insurance Co. This would lead to computer science classes in schools. Patricia relocated to Florida and entered the University of South Florida where she earned a Master's degree in Library Science. She took the position of Head Librarian at St. Thomas Aquinas HS. She soon discovered a librarian could interface with children one to one and she put her heart and soul into her work. She received the Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching. Patricia earned her Doctor of Science at Nova University in Orlando, where she was the Tech Director and computer teacher at STA. She continued teaching at the same high school for 22 years before she retired. Patty then accepted a position as a Volunteer Advocate for Children. She devoted her time and energy to helping children. She received the Volunteer Advocate for Children Award from the Legal Aid Society in 2011. She remained grateful she had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children. Patty left the world a better place.