NICKERSON (Staden, Race, Atwood), Patricia

November 19, 1941- September 22, 2022. She was born during a bomb raid and died just before a hurricane and the time in between was just as exciting. Born November 19, 1941 in Cambridge, England to the late Leonard and Betty (Rawlinson) Staden and passed on September 22nd surrounded by her husband and three children. Pat was educated in Cambridge earning a teaching certificate in Home Economics from the University of Leeds in 1962. After three years of teaching in England, she boarded ship with her son and husband Brian to start a new adventure in the tiny town of Lockeport. She was soon joined by other British teachers leading a small British invasion not unlike the Beatles. The relationships she developed through her early years in Nova Scotia proved to be the strongest and longest-lasting, she loved the generosity of the people in Lockeport. She taught home economics in both Lockeport and Barrington High schools, blending her formal learnings with the traditional cuisines in Nova Scotia, she often told the story of how strange she thought it was to add cream to chowders but soon learned to love it. It was in Lockeport that she added a daughter and second son to the family. In 1982 she took on a career change and became a guidance counsellor and special education at Shelburne Regional High School. Education was important to her and in 1987 she completed her BA followed by a B.ED from MSVU in 1991. She instilled the importance of education to her family, all three children earned post-secondary training followed by all her grandchildren also participating in post-secondary. Politics was a huge passion of Pat's and in 1975 she blazed her own trail when she became the first female town councillor in Shelburne. This started a journey of29 years serving her community both as a town and municipal councillor with two terms as Warden. She was also a lifelong member of the Provincial and Federal Conservative Parties. She also volunteered thousands of hours through her many committee memberships, including Cancer Care NS (she beat cancer twice), Roseway Hospital foundation, Mckay Library (avid reader) and the local busy bees group in Clyde River. She was predeceased by her parents and brother John; she is survived by her husband of over 25 years, Michael Nickerson; sons, Michael (Lauren), Andrew (Kim); and her daughter, Jackie; grandchildren; Michael Bryon, Megan, Daniel, and Natasha; five beloved great-grandchildren; and her special “adopted” daughter, Cheryl Nickerson; Jake the dog and Mabel the cat. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Huskilson’s Funeral Home, Shelburne. Funeral will be held in Huskilson’s Funeral Home, 58 Bulkley St., Shelburne on Thursday, October 6th at 2 p.m. A reception with refreshments will follow in the Sandy Point Lighthouse Hall immediately after the service. Donations in her name can be made to Souls Harbour Rescue Mission or a charity of choice. Online condolences may be left for the family at: www.huskilson.net