The Honorable Patricia A. Whitehead, 66, passed away on December 10, 2009, surrounded by loved ones. Patricia was serving as a judge of the Phoenix Municipal Court, a position which she held for over thirty-five years.
Patricia was born in Washington D.C. on May 16, 1943. Her father, Colonel William James Whitehead, served in the United States Army under General Douglas MacArthur. Her mother, Eleanor Murray Whitehead, was a school teacher. Patricia had one brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, who was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, class of 1963.
When Patricia's father died at an early age, the young family moved to Tucson, Arizona where Patricia was raised. She often spoke of the loving and close relationship she had with her mother and her brother Bill, and the great fun they had while growing up, despite their difficult economic circumstances.
Patricia attended grade school in Tucson and graduated from Salpointe Catholic High School in 1961. She graduated from the University of Arizona (U. of A.) in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts in government and completed her Juris Doctorate at the U. of A. College of Law in 1968.
Her brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, was killed in action on April 7, 1968, while serving his country in Vietnam. He was on his second tour of duty. One year later, her fiancé, also in the military, was killed in action in Vietnam.
Judge Whitehead began her legal career as an Assistant City Prosecutor in Tucson, Arizona. In 1969, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and became a Deputy Public Defender in Maricopa County. She later became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1971, where she handled criminal cases for three years before moving to the Civil Division.
She was one of the first female judges to sit on the bench in Arizona. Since 1975, she served continuously as a judge on the Phoenix Municipal Court.
Judge Whitehead gave generously of herself to our community in many ways. She served as a volunteer for the Terros Ambulance Service, the Maricopa County Hospital Emergency Room, the Office of the Medical Examiner, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. She had been a member of St. Joseph's Hospital Medical Ethics Committee and served on the Board of the Malta Center.
Her honors include: U.S. Treasury Department, Bureau of Customs Certificate of Appreciation; U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award; and awards from the City of Phoenix Mayor and Phoenix Women's Commission, the Mental Health Advocates Coalition and the Arizona International Refugee Consortium. She had been named by the Arizona State Bar and the Maricopa County Bar Association as being one of the "100 Outstanding Women and Minorities" in Arizona.
Judge Whitehead was predeceased by her parents, brother, and fiancé. She was also predeceased by her aunt, Loretto Whitehead Treanor. Patricia is survived by her nephew, Christopher Sean Whitehead (Theresa) and their two children, Megan and William. She is also survived by cousins James, Michael, William, Patrick, and Thomas Treanor, and Margot Treanor Lovell.
Donations in honor of Patricia may be made to any of the following organizations: St. Vincent De Paul Society, P.O. Box 13600, Phoenix, AZ 85002; St. Mary's Food Bank, 2831 N. 31st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009; and The Arizona Humane Society, 1521 West Dobbins Road, Phoenix, AZ 85041.
Patricia was born in Washington D.C. on May 16, 1943. Her father, Colonel William James Whitehead, served in the United States Army under General Douglas MacArthur. Her mother, Eleanor Murray Whitehead, was a school teacher. Patricia had one brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, who was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, class of 1963.
When Patricia's father died at an early age, the young family moved to Tucson, Arizona where Patricia was raised. She often spoke of the loving and close relationship she had with her mother and her brother Bill, and the great fun they had while growing up, despite their difficult economic circumstances.
Patricia attended grade school in Tucson and graduated from Salpointe Catholic High School in 1961. She graduated from the University of Arizona (U. of A.) in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts in government and completed her Juris Doctorate at the U. of A. College of Law in 1968.
Her brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, was killed in action on April 7, 1968, while serving his country in Vietnam. He was on his second tour of duty. One year later, her fiancé, also in the military, was killed in action in Vietnam.
Judge Whitehead began her legal career as an Assistant City Prosecutor in Tucson, Arizona. In 1969, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and became a Deputy Public Defender in Maricopa County. She later became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1971, where she handled criminal cases for three years before moving to the Civil Division.
She was one of the first female judges to sit on the bench in Arizona. Since 1975, she served continuously as a judge on the Phoenix Municipal Court.
Judge Whitehead gave generously of herself to our community in many ways. She served as a volunteer for the Terros Ambulance Service, the Maricopa County Hospital Emergency Room, the Office of the Medical Examiner, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. She had been a member of St. Joseph's Hospital Medical Ethics Committee and served on the Board of the Malta Center.
Her honors include: U.S. Treasury Department, Bureau of Customs Certificate of Appreciation; U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award; and awards from the City of Phoenix Mayor and Phoenix Women's Commission, the Mental Health Advocates Coalition and the Arizona International Refugee Consortium. She had been named by the Arizona State Bar and the Maricopa County Bar Association as being one of the "100 Outstanding Women and Minorities" in Arizona.
Judge Whitehead was predeceased by her parents, brother, and fiancé. She was also predeceased by her aunt, Loretto Whitehead Treanor. Patricia is survived by her nephew, Christopher Sean Whitehead (Theresa) and their two children, Megan and William. She is also survived by cousins James, Michael, William, Patrick, and Thomas Treanor, and Margot Treanor Lovell.
Donations in honor of Patricia may be made to any of the following organizations: St. Vincent De Paul Society, P.O. Box 13600, Phoenix, AZ 85002; St. Mary's Food Bank, 2831 N. 31st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009; and The Arizona Humane Society, 1521 West Dobbins Road, Phoenix, AZ 85041.
The Honorable Patricia A. Whitehead, 66, passed away on December 10, 2009, surrounded by loved ones. Patricia was serving as a judge of the Phoenix Municipal Court, a position which she held for over thirty-five years.
Patricia was born in Washington D.C. on May 16, 1943. Her father, Colonel William James Whitehead, served in the United States Army under General Douglas MacArthur. Her mother, Eleanor Murray Whitehead, was a school teacher. Patricia had one brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, who was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, class of 1963.
When Patricia's father died at an early age, the young family moved to Tucson, Arizona where Patricia was raised. She often spoke of the loving and close relationship she had with her mother and her brother Bill, and the great fun they had while growing up, despite their difficult economic circumstances.
Patricia attended grade school in Tucson and graduated from Salpointe Catholic High School in 1961. She graduated from the University of Arizona (U. of A.) in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts in government and completed her Juris Doctorate at the U. of A. College of Law in 1968.
Her brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, was killed in action on April 7, 1968, while serving his country in Vietnam. He was on his second tour of duty. One year later, her fiancé, also in the military, was killed in action in Vietnam.
Judge Whitehead began her legal career as an Assistant City Prosecutor in Tucson, Arizona. In 1969, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and became a Deputy Public Defender in Maricopa County. She later became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1971, where she handled criminal cases for three years before moving to the Civil Division.
She was one of the first female judges to sit on the bench in Arizona. Since 1975, she served continuously as a judge on the Phoenix Municipal Court.
Judge Whitehead gave generously of herself to our community in many ways. She served as a volunteer for the Terros Ambulance Service, the Maricopa County Hospital Emergency Room, the Office of the Medical Examiner, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. She had been a member of St. Joseph's Hospital Medical Ethics Committee and served on the Board of the Malta Center.
Her honors include: U.S. Treasury Department, Bureau of Customs Certificate of Appreciation; U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award; and awards from the City of Phoenix Mayor and Phoenix Women's Commission, the Mental Health Advocates Coalition and the Arizona International Refugee Consortium. She had been named by the Arizona State Bar and the Maricopa County Bar Association as being one of the "100 Outstanding Women and Minorities" in Arizona.
Judge Whitehead was predeceased by her parents, brother, and fiancé. She was also predeceased by her aunt, Loretto Whitehead Treanor. Patricia is survived by her nephew, Christopher Sean Whitehead (Theresa) and their two children, Megan and William. She is also survived by cousins James, Michael, William, Patrick, and Thomas Treanor, and Margot Treanor Lovell.
Donations in honor of Patricia may be made to any of the following organizations: St. Vincent De Paul Society, P.O. Box 13600, Phoenix, AZ 85002; St. Mary's Food Bank, 2831 N. 31st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009; and The Arizona Humane Society, 1521 West Dobbins Road, Phoenix, AZ 85041.
Patricia was born in Washington D.C. on May 16, 1943. Her father, Colonel William James Whitehead, served in the United States Army under General Douglas MacArthur. Her mother, Eleanor Murray Whitehead, was a school teacher. Patricia had one brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, who was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, class of 1963.
When Patricia's father died at an early age, the young family moved to Tucson, Arizona where Patricia was raised. She often spoke of the loving and close relationship she had with her mother and her brother Bill, and the great fun they had while growing up, despite their difficult economic circumstances.
Patricia attended grade school in Tucson and graduated from Salpointe Catholic High School in 1961. She graduated from the University of Arizona (U. of A.) in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts in government and completed her Juris Doctorate at the U. of A. College of Law in 1968.
Her brother, Captain William J. Whitehead, was killed in action on April 7, 1968, while serving his country in Vietnam. He was on his second tour of duty. One year later, her fiancé, also in the military, was killed in action in Vietnam.
Judge Whitehead began her legal career as an Assistant City Prosecutor in Tucson, Arizona. In 1969, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and became a Deputy Public Defender in Maricopa County. She later became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1971, where she handled criminal cases for three years before moving to the Civil Division.
She was one of the first female judges to sit on the bench in Arizona. Since 1975, she served continuously as a judge on the Phoenix Municipal Court.
Judge Whitehead gave generously of herself to our community in many ways. She served as a volunteer for the Terros Ambulance Service, the Maricopa County Hospital Emergency Room, the Office of the Medical Examiner, and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. She had been a member of St. Joseph's Hospital Medical Ethics Committee and served on the Board of the Malta Center.
Her honors include: U.S. Treasury Department, Bureau of Customs Certificate of Appreciation; U.S. Department of Justice Special Achievement Award; and awards from the City of Phoenix Mayor and Phoenix Women's Commission, the Mental Health Advocates Coalition and the Arizona International Refugee Consortium. She had been named by the Arizona State Bar and the Maricopa County Bar Association as being one of the "100 Outstanding Women and Minorities" in Arizona.
Judge Whitehead was predeceased by her parents, brother, and fiancé. She was also predeceased by her aunt, Loretto Whitehead Treanor. Patricia is survived by her nephew, Christopher Sean Whitehead (Theresa) and their two children, Megan and William. She is also survived by cousins James, Michael, William, Patrick, and Thomas Treanor, and Margot Treanor Lovell.
Donations in honor of Patricia may be made to any of the following organizations: St. Vincent De Paul Society, P.O. Box 13600, Phoenix, AZ 85002; St. Mary's Food Bank, 2831 N. 31st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009; and The Arizona Humane Society, 1521 West Dobbins Road, Phoenix, AZ 85041.
