Patty passed away peacefully at home on October 24th after a two-year battle with cancer. She was born on December 13th, 1972, in Dansville, NY, to James and Barbara Stewart. She was predeceased by her father, James; her mother-in-law, Pat Genthner; her maternal and paternal grandparents; and several aunts and uncles.
She is survived by her husband of 29 years, Chris; her children, Nathan (Evyn), Jillian (Parker Hutt), and Natalie; her mother, Barbara; her siblings, David (Christine) and Robert (Monica) Stewart; her father-in-law, Tom; and her sisters-in-law, Andrea (Ray) Racette and Amy (Ken) Sharpe; and so many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
Patty graduated from Livonia in 1991 and went on to study nursing at St. John Fisher College. She graduated in 1995 as part of the first fully Fisher nursing class. She began her nursing career at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, then moved to Unity Hospital in Greece, and finally found her forever job at the Noyes Ambulatory Surgery Center in Geneseo, starting in Spring 2001.
Patty was passionate about staying active and kept exercise at the forefront of her life. She began teaching fitness classes at Fisher more than 30 years ago. She taught in person at multiple locations in the Livonia community before moving most of her classes to her living room and basement, reaching people in different locations via Zoom. Patty really enjoyed teaching Pilates classes to the cross-country, indoor track, and girls’ lacrosse teams at Livonia High School, where students treated her with respect and valued her willingness to help them be better athletes. She found ways to exercise wherever she went, even teaching from her hospital room during overnight chemo treatments. She loved high-speed walks around the Village with her family and the Fitness Friends, hikes in the Finger Lakes and Adirondacks, and anywhere we went on vacation. She liked bike rides wherever Chris said they were going. She loved anniversary trips to Mirbeau, the spa at the Inns of Aurora, and being outdoors in all seasons.
Patty loved to travel. Among many destinations, she especially loved her trips to California, Colorado, Florida, Canada, the Virgin Islands, and St. Lucia, as well as the yearly family trips to Myrtle Beach, where she treasured staying in one house with the Stewart families. Those beach trips were filled with quality time with her family and created so many great memories for her children with their cousins.
Patty loved being a nurse. For more than 30 years, she devoted her life to the profession that came naturally to her. Caring for others was simply who she was. Her kindness, nurturing spirit, and genuine compassion shone through in the care she provided. At the Noyes Ambulatory Surgery Center, Patty took great pride in her IV expertise and became the go-to person for difficult IVs. She also loved the people she worked with and especially enjoyed the teamwork and camaraderie of a talented, supportive, and caring group of doctors and nurses. Patty had a heart for helping people, a gentle way of putting others at ease, and a desire to make a difference in the lives of those around her.
Most importantly, Patty loved being a wife and mother. Patty and Chris were a team. From their first date to a Homecoming dance in October 1987, they clicked and stayed in sync until their last moments together. Patty worked every day to make her children’s lives special and memorable. Walks, bike rides, trips to the playground, epic kids’ birthday parties with unbreakable homemade piñatas, cookie baking, holiday traditions—the list goes on. She looked forward to being an amazing grandma to her future grandchildren, and it broke her heart that she would miss that experience. Yet she left her children with something truly invaluable: the love, wisdom, and nurturing spirit they need to become wonderful parents themselves. In the way they love and care for their own children, a piece of Patty will live on.
Remembering others from the community
The family thanks her church family at Conesus UMC; the nurses and social worker at Livingston County Hospice; the doctors and nurses on the 7th floor at the Wilmot Cancer Center; and especially Dr. Rachel Turner and her team on the Highland Hospital Gynecologic Oncology floor. She could not have fought her battle without the support of a great medical team.
In keeping with Patty’s wishes, there will be no prior calling. Friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Life on Sunday, November 1st at 2 pm at St. Matthews Catholic Church, 6591 Richmond Mills Road in Livonia. Patty’s Celebration of Life will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. You can watch the service at: https://www.facebook.com/StsMaryandMatthewFaithCommunity. Interment will take place privately at the Arnold Cemetery on Elm Street in Conesus, NY.
In lieu of Flowers, contributions can be made to the Patricia Stewart Genthner Memorial Scholarship, 13 Washington Street, Livonia, NY 14487.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.