Obituary of Patricia Ann Lawry Outrakis

Patricia Ann Lawry Outrakis, 84, of Ocala, FL, died September 29, 2023 at the Gordon House Hospice in Statesville NC from pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis, while traveling home to Florida from Slippery Rock, PA.  Patricia was formerly from Seminole, FL and Lyndhurst, OH.

Funeral services will be held at the Ocala West United Methodist Church on October 14, 2023 at 2 pm.  A committal service will be held at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, where she will join her husband, on October 17, 2023, on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 1:30 pm.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Slippery Rock, PA.

Patricia was born January 30, 1939 to James Frederick and Anna (Rosko) Lawry in Homestead PA. She graduated from Munhall High School in 1956.  Her family had a cottage in Slippery Rock, PA, where she met the love of her life, Nicholas J. Outrakis, a dashing U. S. Marine, who was renting a room in the cottage next-door.  They were married in 1960 and she delighted in living the adventurous life of a military wife for 27 years. She enjoyed setting up house at each new duty station and starting over.  Duty stations included Camp Lejeune, NC, Quantico, VA, Charleston, SC, Albuquerque, NM, and Kailua, HI.  They had one child, a daughter Rosanna, in 1962.

Once out of the Marine Corps, they settled in Lyndhurst, OH, where Patricia devoted much of her time to gardening, and transformed their back yard into an exquisite park-like setting which brought many hours of peace and joy to her family and friends.  She enjoyed volunteering at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.  She was a member of Bethany Covenant Church.

Later in life, Pat and Nick relocated to Seminole FL to be close to their daughter and grandchildren.  They enjoyed ten years of blissful retirement together in the beautiful Florida weather, which had always been a dream of hers.  They got together with friends, especially old Marine Corps buddies, and enjoyed many trips and times with friends and family.  After Nick passed in 2009, Grandma devoted her time to her grandchildren, who were blessed to have her love, wisdom, and generosity showered on them.

Patricia was a woman of great faith. She loved Jesus, following the examples of her grandmothers, and spent hours with Him every day in prayer and reading.

Her greatest gift was her ability to listen intently and make you feel loved. Being in her presence gave off great feelings of peace and acceptance.  

Her greatest joys were her grandchildren Nastasia Markiewicz, Heather Reynolds, Nicholas Barker and Annelise Glode, and her dear nieces and nephews Johnny Outrakis, Karen Salisbury, James Lawry, Patricia Clute, Kathleen Lawry, and Sean Lawry, and their combined 14 beloved children and grandchildren.  She was “Aunt Pat” to so many who loved her dearly.

She is survived by daughter Rosanna (Pete) Barker, of Ocala, brother James F. Lawry Jr. of Evans City, PA, grandchildren Nastasia Markiewicz of Lakeland, Heather (Donnie) Reynolds of Seminole, Nicholas Barker of Largo, and Annelise Glode of Ocala, as well as dear friend Patricia (Dave) Folds.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Nicholas J Outrakis and her brother David Lee Lawry.

Flowers and/or memorial contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project are equally welcome.