Pat’s packed life full of memories
PAT Keenan Carr’s grandparents lived on the Hermit Park block where she lives today, in a house her father built in the 1940s.
She describes herself as an “indifferent housekeeper” and would rather be reading than doing chores.
But her real passion memories.
“One day someone came to ask me for some advice as I knew ‘ a little bit about everything’,” she said.
“I’m still trying to work out whether it was a compliment or not.”
Since then she started writing and collecting snippets, which she has compiled into four books she sells at markets.
Pat comes from a family of butchers and her mother Harriet died, aged 34, when Pat was just aged nine.
She grew up an only child after her mother was unable to carry more children but Pat went on to have five children of her own. is collecting
“I diverted my energy over the years to teaching yoga, coaching junior soccer, conducting grooming and deportment classes and working part- time as a beauty therapist,” she said.
Pat has always been a tap dancer and each Friday performs with an adult tap dancing group at nursing homes.
While she’s always lived in Townsville, Pat has travelled the world, and, in particular, visited Newcastle, UK, a number of times with her husband Sid, who died 3 ½ years ago.
An avid letter writer to the Townsville Bulletin, one of her favourite exchanges was about a black pig she saw running along the footpath in Ackers St in 1987.
“It turned out some men up the road had been pig hunting and it had got away.
“They told me they had caught the pig and would bring me the pork chops, but I never got the pork chops,” Pat said.
She also remembers the old CBD fondly with a poem.
“Does anyone remember the days before the mall?
“With Heatley’s and McKimmins and, of course, the old town hall.
“The antique elevator with the folding wire doors, were I spent some anxious moments stuck between floors.”