PATRICIA ANN SLOGAN WILSON
Biography
Patricia Ann Slogan Wilson was born on November 27, 1940 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The daughter of Frank Stanley Slogan and Eleanor Clare Haas, she grew up in Beechview at 1602 Alverado Street, the home of her Grandfather Stephen Haas and at 2243 Pauline Avenue, the home of her Parents. Her Father Frank was born in Laczyn, Austria Hungary, in what is now Poland, and her Mother Eleanor was born in Beechview, Pennsylvania. Pat’s German heritage came from her Great Great Grandfather Ignatius Haas, born in Wurtemburg, and her Irish heritage from her Great Great Grandfather Thomas Coyne. Pat was a parishioner of St. Catherine’s Church, where she attended grade school. She attended high school from 1954-1958 at St. Mary of the Mount High School, where she finished second in her class. The two streetcar journey from Beechview to Mt. Washington took more than an hour and involved a transfer at South Hills Junction. Those not native to St. Mary’s Parish were called “outsiders” and her tuition averaged around $4 per term. In her yearbook, Pat was described by her classmates as “candid and steadfast” as well as “scholastically industrious and versatile.” Her classmate Paul Stockhousen soon after her passing said “She was so smart and affable.”
“Pat was wickedly intelligent and I found her always to be the smartest person in the room. Artistic and imaginative - she had terrific stories and insight and I always enjoyed spending time with her…” Tony Humrichouser
She served on the editorial board of The Maryan, St Mary’s High School Yearbook. In 1957, as The Maryan states, she became “Pennsylvania’s Miss Singer.” From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of Wednesday, October 2, 1957, Page 13:
WINNERS IN SEWING CONTEST
“A Pittsburgh girl and one from Fairmont, W. Va., are winners in the regional finals of the $83,000 Singer teenage dressmaking contest. They are Patricia Slogan, Beechview and Lobina Rustenburg. Both Miss Slogan, regional winner in the senior (14-17) division, and Miss Rustenburg, junior (10-13) winner, received Singer slant-needle portable sewing machines, equipped with automatic zigzagger. In addition, a $300 scholarship was given to Miss Slogan. The presentations were made by A. J. Koller, general agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Company in Pittsburgh. The winning dresses made by Miss Slogan and Miss Rustenburg will now be sent to New York to be considered in the national judging…Miss Slogan, senior division winner, is a senior at St. Mary's of the Mount High School. She has been sewing for the past few years and was a contestant in last year's contest also. She made a beautiful interchangeable sport outfit which consisted of a middy-type blouse with two plaid skirts, one pleated and one straight. She likes to bake and collect stamps. She plans to enter college and pursue a course in Home Economics or Dress Design.”
A skilled and dedicated seamstress, for her entire life, Pat was taught to sew by her Aunt Martha Haas O’Connor in her Bellevue, Pennsylvania home. As a child, she had a collection of 20-30 dolls, which she completely outfitted. She often made clothing for herself, her husband, her children, and her family and friends. Pat made most of her son Bill’s costumes for his dance recitals through 1976, and many costumes for plays and musicals in which he appeared. Over the years, she amassed an impressive collection of fine fabrics, some of which she purchased in high school, on her honeymoon in New York City, or at her favorite fabric outlets, which included Roaring River Mill in Johnstown,. PA and Liberty of London in England. Her fabric collection was donated to Case High School Theatre in Swansea, Massachusetts, where it was used to make costumes for theatrical productions. In 2018, some of her fabric was used to make Joseph’s coat of many colors in their production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.
“Pat was an amazing and skilled sewer. She could make anything - and if she didn’t know - she’d figure out how--Truly innovative. “ Tony Humrichouser
She attended college at Carlow College (formerly Mount Mercy) from 1958-1962, where she studied retail. Her dorm room, shared with Joannie Avonpato (Rednock) overlooked the Pittsburgh Morgue, and also served as the only entrance to the maintanance man’s supply closet. Pat and Joannie would spend hours laughing hysterically as they related these stories to their family and friends. Pat would often tell stories of her culinary education there which frequently involved hosting a Hawaiian Luau, Italian Dinner, or St. Patrick’s Day feast for the dozens of Sisters on the faculty.
After high school, her future husband Bill, got a job at the Dormont Pool and made sure he passed Pat’s house on Pauline Avenue to and from work. She was always sitting outside on the stairs. From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of 6 November 1960, Page. 47:
“The engagement of Patricia Ann Slogan to William M. Wilson has been announced by the future bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Slogan. Mr. Wilson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George T. Wilson of Amabelle Street.”
On September 9, 1961, Patricia Slogan married William Michael Wilson, a classmate at St. Mary of the Mount. They honeymooned in New York City, where they stayed at the Taft Hotel and saw THE SOUND OF MUSIC with Mary Martin, and CAMELOT, with Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, and Roddy McDowell.
Pat and Bill had three children: William Michael Wilson, Jr., born on 29 September 1963, Holly Ellen Wilson on the 3 November 1966, and Amy Kathleen on 28 January 1969. All graduated from Athens High School in Troy, Michigan. William earned degrees from Western Michigan University in Musical Theatre Performance (1987) and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from Wayne State University (1992), Holly earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Penn State University in 1997. William became the Director of Musical Theatre at Rhode Island College, Holly an Environmental Engineer at Barton Mallow Corporation in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Amy, a Hair Stylist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. William married Randal Scott Stowell on 10 June 2016 in Providence, RI, Holly married Linda Landry LaCroix on 24 September 2016, and Amy married Stephen Ronald Mazure on __ November 1993. Amy and Steve had three children: Parker, Amanda, and Liam.
Pat and her husband Bill bought their first house at 5316 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh for $23,000. Almost from the moment they moved in, they eyed a nearly 100 year old farmhouse about a half mile up the street. In 1970, they purchased “the big white house” at 5623 Baptist Road. That was the house that everybody in The Wilson family thought of as home. It was the former residence of the Reverend at the Presbyterian Church across the street on Hamilton Road. Outside, it featured a 60 foot flagpole and a 2 level, underground bomb shelter, a relic from the 1950’s cold war scare.
In 1976, Bill was hired by the Marriott Corporation to open a new restaurant called Merrick’s in the American Motors Building in Southfield, Michigan. The Wilson family moved from Pittsburgh to Troy, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit in August 1976. They lived at 2655 Windsor Drive until 2014, when Pat and Bill moved to East Providence, Rhode Island to be closer to their son Bill.
Pat was an intensely creative person, making quince jam and apple butter from the neighbor’s trees, a chess set from thread spools, picnic tables from massive, industrial, wooden cable spools, quilts, drapes, tablecloths, and watercolor paintings. She could wallpaper a room by herself. She was an avid collector, especially of antiques like jewelry, soap dishes, fine, bone china, and Fostoria crystal. Her homes had large flower gardens. She grew tomatoes, rhubarb, (her favorite) and a multitude of herbs. Pat was also an accomplished cook and baker. She was known for her pies, and her pie crust, and her Thanksgivings, drawn from her kitchen Bible, THE WOMEN’S HOME COMPANION, and her training at Carlow College. With her husband, they threw lavish parties at their homes in Pittsburgh, and in Troy, and hosted holidays like Thanksgiving,(her favorite), for friends and the extended family.
“I met Mr and Mrs. Wilson in 1984. They had a beautiful home in Troy, Michigan and would always host the most terrific parties for Bill after the opening or closing of a show. Many of us had never eaten that way…it was always presented so nicely and they always made us feel very welcome and special. Never stuffy. Always welcome. In addition to college kids, their home would always be full of interesting and eccentric guests that they would invite as well. People from all different places and professions. They lead fascinating lives and would mingle and joke and inquire. Friends - old and new - laughing and living life fully. They taught us how to relax and to enjoy each other's company.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat had numerous jobs. She worked at the Salvation Army across the street from her Parent’s Pauline Avenue home, she popped popcorn in the window of Murphy’s Five and Dime Store on Forbes Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, and she worked at Kaufman’s Department Store and Singer in suburban Pittsburgh. In Troy, Michigan, where she lived from 1976-2014, she was employed by the Troy School District for several years. Her most significant position was at the Kmart Corporation World Headquarters, where she worked on the mainframe computer, and from where she retired as a Computer Analyst.
Pat loved to travel. As a child, she journeyed across the country by car with her Uncle Charlie and Cousin Pat O’Connor, to see Haas relatives in Sacramento. Wilson Family vacations were taken to Atlantic City, Chicago, Milwaukee, the West Coast of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, New York City with her daughter Holly, and numerous Caribbean cruises with her husband to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. In 2004, Pat and her husband embarked on a 2 month tour of Europe. Sailing from Florida, they crossed the Atlantic, and visited ports like the Azores, Cadiz, Barcelona, Monaco, Rome, and Venice. They stayed two weeks in a friend’s home at the foot of the Alps in Telfs, Austria, (near Innsbruck) where they were joined by their son Bill. From Telfs, the three took day trips to Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle, Innsbruck, and Verona, Italy. A highlight of the trip was one week spent in Prague during its’ spring music festival, and a river cruise down the Danube, ending in Budapest. In 2007, Pat, her husband, and son Bill travelled to London for one week. Highlights included Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, The Tower of London, Tea at Kensington Palace, Portobello Road Market, BILLY ELLIOTT, MARY POPPINS, and ON THE TOWN in the West End, and a visit to the famous London fabric store, Liberty of London.
Later in life, Pat struggled with addiction, and in the last three years of her life, made tremendous progress in conquering it. Her classmates from what they describe as “the yellow room” said the following:
“I knew Pat briefly but I am so glad our lives crossed paths. She always made me smile and I loved her sense of style. She wore what she wanted because she could! She will be so fondly remembered by many…”
“Miss Pat was the most loving, kind and sweetest person I have met - Her love & passion for sewing was her gift - sharing what she made to others…seeing her in her fashion glasses and always matching clothes - "FASHION QUEEN" She will be forever missed in the Yellow Room.”
“…Pat has been an inspiration to many and brought great respect that I personally have grown to…admire. I'm saddened that she will no longer be with us physically, but I know her spirit will remain forever in our hearts…Thank you so much Pat, for your true and sincere friendship…”
One week before she was admitted to the hospital, she went kayaking with her son Bill on the Woonasquatucket and Providence Rivers, and days later attended her 60th High School reunion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she connected with classmates from St. Catherine’s Grade School as well as from St. Mary’s. Before returning to Providence, Pat, her Husband, and Son had the opportunity to tour their old home at 5623 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh, and they had a significant visit with her dear childhood friend Sister Pat Phillips, at the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baden, Pennsylvania, where her Great Aunt Marguerite had also served.
“A few weeks ago, when I was visiting, Bill and I went to pick his Dad and Mom for lunch…Mrs. Wilson emerged wearing a massive blue sun hat that she had adorned with a turquoise beaded band. She quietly sat in the back seat next to me, not saying a word. And slowly turned to me and said “Do you like my hat”? with a smirk on her face. She knew it was a bit over the top, and she played it up a bit to make us giggle - but she was so excited to show Bill as she would wear it on their upcoming kayaking adventure through Providence. Later, Bill posted a picture of them in a kayak - Kayaking with "The Mysterious Woman of the Woonasquatucket" - She had a deep desire to try everything. It’s a beautiful memory.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat Wilson passed away quietly in Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island at about 3:00 PM. On 7 August 2017. She was buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI on 11 August 2017. She rests at the corner of Cherry and Pine, under a maple tree.
Biography
Patricia Ann Slogan Wilson was born on November 27, 1940 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The daughter of Frank Stanley Slogan and Eleanor Clare Haas, she grew up in Beechview at 1602 Alverado Street, the home of her Grandfather Stephen Haas and at 2243 Pauline Avenue, the home of her Parents. Her Father Frank was born in Laczyn, Austria Hungary, in what is now Poland, and her Mother Eleanor was born in Beechview, Pennsylvania. Pat’s German heritage came from her Great Great Grandfather Ignatius Haas, born in Wurtemburg, and her Irish heritage from her Great Great Grandfather Thomas Coyne. Pat was a parishioner of St. Catherine’s Church, where she attended grade school. She attended high school from 1954-1958 at St. Mary of the Mount High School, where she finished second in her class. The two streetcar journey from Beechview to Mt. Washington took more than an hour and involved a transfer at South Hills Junction. Those not native to St. Mary’s Parish were called “outsiders” and her tuition averaged around $4 per term. In her yearbook, Pat was described by her classmates as “candid and steadfast” as well as “scholastically industrious and versatile.” Her classmate Paul Stockhousen soon after her passing said “She was so smart and affable.”
“Pat was wickedly intelligent and I found her always to be the smartest person in the room. Artistic and imaginative - she had terrific stories and insight and I always enjoyed spending time with her…” Tony Humrichouser
She served on the editorial board of The Maryan, St Mary’s High School Yearbook. In 1957, as The Maryan states, she became “Pennsylvania’s Miss Singer.” From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of Wednesday, October 2, 1957, Page 13:
WINNERS IN SEWING CONTEST
“A Pittsburgh girl and one from Fairmont, W. Va., are winners in the regional finals of the $83,000 Singer teenage dressmaking contest. They are Patricia Slogan, Beechview and Lobina Rustenburg. Both Miss Slogan, regional winner in the senior (14-17) division, and Miss Rustenburg, junior (10-13) winner, received Singer slant-needle portable sewing machines, equipped with automatic zigzagger. In addition, a $300 scholarship was given to Miss Slogan. The presentations were made by A. J. Koller, general agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Company in Pittsburgh. The winning dresses made by Miss Slogan and Miss Rustenburg will now be sent to New York to be considered in the national judging…Miss Slogan, senior division winner, is a senior at St. Mary's of the Mount High School. She has been sewing for the past few years and was a contestant in last year's contest also. She made a beautiful interchangeable sport outfit which consisted of a middy-type blouse with two plaid skirts, one pleated and one straight. She likes to bake and collect stamps. She plans to enter college and pursue a course in Home Economics or Dress Design.”
A skilled and dedicated seamstress, for her entire life, Pat was taught to sew by her Aunt Martha Haas O’Connor in her Bellevue, Pennsylvania home. As a child, she had a collection of 20-30 dolls, which she completely outfitted. She often made clothing for herself, her husband, her children, and her family and friends. Pat made most of her son Bill’s costumes for his dance recitals through 1976, and many costumes for plays and musicals in which he appeared. Over the years, she amassed an impressive collection of fine fabrics, some of which she purchased in high school, on her honeymoon in New York City, or at her favorite fabric outlets, which included Roaring River Mill in Johnstown,. PA and Liberty of London in England. Her fabric collection was donated to Case High School Theatre in Swansea, Massachusetts, where it was used to make costumes for theatrical productions. In 2018, some of her fabric was used to make Joseph’s coat of many colors in their production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.
“Pat was an amazing and skilled sewer. She could make anything - and if she didn’t know - she’d figure out how--Truly innovative. “ Tony Humrichouser
She attended college at Carlow College (formerly Mount Mercy) from 1958-1962, where she studied retail. Her dorm room, shared with Joannie Avonpato (Rednock) overlooked the Pittsburgh Morgue, and also served as the only entrance to the maintanance man’s supply closet. Pat and Joannie would spend hours laughing hysterically as they related these stories to their family and friends. Pat would often tell stories of her culinary education there which frequently involved hosting a Hawaiian Luau, Italian Dinner, or St. Patrick’s Day feast for the dozens of Sisters on the faculty.
After high school, her future husband Bill, got a job at the Dormont Pool and made sure he passed Pat’s house on Pauline Avenue to and from work. She was always sitting outside on the stairs. From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of 6 November 1960, Page. 47:
“The engagement of Patricia Ann Slogan to William M. Wilson has been announced by the future bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Slogan. Mr. Wilson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George T. Wilson of Amabelle Street.”
On September 9, 1961, Patricia Slogan married William Michael Wilson, a classmate at St. Mary of the Mount. They honeymooned in New York City, where they stayed at the Taft Hotel and saw THE SOUND OF MUSIC with Mary Martin, and CAMELOT, with Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, and Roddy McDowell.
Pat and Bill had three children: William Michael Wilson, Jr., born on 29 September 1963, Holly Ellen Wilson on the 3 November 1966, and Amy Kathleen on 28 January 1969. All graduated from Athens High School in Troy, Michigan. William earned degrees from Western Michigan University in Musical Theatre Performance (1987) and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from Wayne State University (1992), Holly earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Penn State University in 1997. William became the Director of Musical Theatre at Rhode Island College, Holly an Environmental Engineer at Barton Mallow Corporation in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Amy, a Hair Stylist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. William married Randal Scott Stowell on 10 June 2016 in Providence, RI, Holly married Linda Landry LaCroix on 24 September 2016, and Amy married Stephen Ronald Mazure on __ November 1993. Amy and Steve had three children: Parker, Amanda, and Liam.
Pat and her husband Bill bought their first house at 5316 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh for $23,000. Almost from the moment they moved in, they eyed a nearly 100 year old farmhouse about a half mile up the street. In 1970, they purchased “the big white house” at 5623 Baptist Road. That was the house that everybody in The Wilson family thought of as home. It was the former residence of the Reverend at the Presbyterian Church across the street on Hamilton Road. Outside, it featured a 60 foot flagpole and a 2 level, underground bomb shelter, a relic from the 1950’s cold war scare.
In 1976, Bill was hired by the Marriott Corporation to open a new restaurant called Merrick’s in the American Motors Building in Southfield, Michigan. The Wilson family moved from Pittsburgh to Troy, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit in August 1976. They lived at 2655 Windsor Drive until 2014, when Pat and Bill moved to East Providence, Rhode Island to be closer to their son Bill.
Pat was an intensely creative person, making quince jam and apple butter from the neighbor’s trees, a chess set from thread spools, picnic tables from massive, industrial, wooden cable spools, quilts, drapes, tablecloths, and watercolor paintings. She could wallpaper a room by herself. She was an avid collector, especially of antiques like jewelry, soap dishes, fine, bone china, and Fostoria crystal. Her homes had large flower gardens. She grew tomatoes, rhubarb, (her favorite) and a multitude of herbs. Pat was also an accomplished cook and baker. She was known for her pies, and her pie crust, and her Thanksgivings, drawn from her kitchen Bible, THE WOMEN’S HOME COMPANION, and her training at Carlow College. With her husband, they threw lavish parties at their homes in Pittsburgh, and in Troy, and hosted holidays like Thanksgiving,(her favorite), for friends and the extended family.
“I met Mr and Mrs. Wilson in 1984. They had a beautiful home in Troy, Michigan and would always host the most terrific parties for Bill after the opening or closing of a show. Many of us had never eaten that way…it was always presented so nicely and they always made us feel very welcome and special. Never stuffy. Always welcome. In addition to college kids, their home would always be full of interesting and eccentric guests that they would invite as well. People from all different places and professions. They lead fascinating lives and would mingle and joke and inquire. Friends - old and new - laughing and living life fully. They taught us how to relax and to enjoy each other's company.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat had numerous jobs. She worked at the Salvation Army across the street from her Parent’s Pauline Avenue home, she popped popcorn in the window of Murphy’s Five and Dime Store on Forbes Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, and she worked at Kaufman’s Department Store and Singer in suburban Pittsburgh. In Troy, Michigan, where she lived from 1976-2014, she was employed by the Troy School District for several years. Her most significant position was at the Kmart Corporation World Headquarters, where she worked on the mainframe computer, and from where she retired as a Computer Analyst.
Pat loved to travel. As a child, she journeyed across the country by car with her Uncle Charlie and Cousin Pat O’Connor, to see Haas relatives in Sacramento. Wilson Family vacations were taken to Atlantic City, Chicago, Milwaukee, the West Coast of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, New York City with her daughter Holly, and numerous Caribbean cruises with her husband to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. In 2004, Pat and her husband embarked on a 2 month tour of Europe. Sailing from Florida, they crossed the Atlantic, and visited ports like the Azores, Cadiz, Barcelona, Monaco, Rome, and Venice. They stayed two weeks in a friend’s home at the foot of the Alps in Telfs, Austria, (near Innsbruck) where they were joined by their son Bill. From Telfs, the three took day trips to Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle, Innsbruck, and Verona, Italy. A highlight of the trip was one week spent in Prague during its’ spring music festival, and a river cruise down the Danube, ending in Budapest. In 2007, Pat, her husband, and son Bill travelled to London for one week. Highlights included Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, The Tower of London, Tea at Kensington Palace, Portobello Road Market, BILLY ELLIOTT, MARY POPPINS, and ON THE TOWN in the West End, and a visit to the famous London fabric store, Liberty of London.
Later in life, Pat struggled with addiction, and in the last three years of her life, made tremendous progress in conquering it. Her classmates from what they describe as “the yellow room” said the following:
“I knew Pat briefly but I am so glad our lives crossed paths. She always made me smile and I loved her sense of style. She wore what she wanted because she could! She will be so fondly remembered by many…”
“Miss Pat was the most loving, kind and sweetest person I have met - Her love & passion for sewing was her gift - sharing what she made to others…seeing her in her fashion glasses and always matching clothes - "FASHION QUEEN" She will be forever missed in the Yellow Room.”
“…Pat has been an inspiration to many and brought great respect that I personally have grown to…admire. I'm saddened that she will no longer be with us physically, but I know her spirit will remain forever in our hearts…Thank you so much Pat, for your true and sincere friendship…”
One week before she was admitted to the hospital, she went kayaking with her son Bill on the Woonasquatucket and Providence Rivers, and days later attended her 60th High School reunion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she connected with classmates from St. Catherine’s Grade School as well as from St. Mary’s. Before returning to Providence, Pat, her Husband, and Son had the opportunity to tour their old home at 5623 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh, and they had a significant visit with her dear childhood friend Sister Pat Phillips, at the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baden, Pennsylvania, where her Great Aunt Marguerite had also served.
“A few weeks ago, when I was visiting, Bill and I went to pick his Dad and Mom for lunch…Mrs. Wilson emerged wearing a massive blue sun hat that she had adorned with a turquoise beaded band. She quietly sat in the back seat next to me, not saying a word. And slowly turned to me and said “Do you like my hat”? with a smirk on her face. She knew it was a bit over the top, and she played it up a bit to make us giggle - but she was so excited to show Bill as she would wear it on their upcoming kayaking adventure through Providence. Later, Bill posted a picture of them in a kayak - Kayaking with "The Mysterious Woman of the Woonasquatucket" - She had a deep desire to try everything. It’s a beautiful memory.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat Wilson passed away quietly in Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island at about 3:00 PM. On 7 August 2017. She was buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI on 11 August 2017. She rests at the corner of Cherry and Pine, under a maple tree.
PATRICIA ANN SLOGAN WILSON
Biography
Patricia Ann Slogan Wilson was born on November 27, 1940 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The daughter of Frank Stanley Slogan and Eleanor Clare Haas, she grew up in Beechview at 1602 Alverado Street, the home of her Grandfather Stephen Haas and at 2243 Pauline Avenue, the home of her Parents. Her Father Frank was born in Laczyn, Austria Hungary, in what is now Poland, and her Mother Eleanor was born in Beechview, Pennsylvania. Pat’s German heritage came from her Great Great Grandfather Ignatius Haas, born in Wurtemburg, and her Irish heritage from her Great Great Grandfather Thomas Coyne. Pat was a parishioner of St. Catherine’s Church, where she attended grade school. She attended high school from 1954-1958 at St. Mary of the Mount High School, where she finished second in her class. The two streetcar journey from Beechview to Mt. Washington took more than an hour and involved a transfer at South Hills Junction. Those not native to St. Mary’s Parish were called “outsiders” and her tuition averaged around $4 per term. In her yearbook, Pat was described by her classmates as “candid and steadfast” as well as “scholastically industrious and versatile.” Her classmate Paul Stockhousen soon after her passing said “She was so smart and affable.”
“Pat was wickedly intelligent and I found her always to be the smartest person in the room. Artistic and imaginative - she had terrific stories and insight and I always enjoyed spending time with her…” Tony Humrichouser
She served on the editorial board of The Maryan, St Mary’s High School Yearbook. In 1957, as The Maryan states, she became “Pennsylvania’s Miss Singer.” From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of Wednesday, October 2, 1957, Page 13:
WINNERS IN SEWING CONTEST
“A Pittsburgh girl and one from Fairmont, W. Va., are winners in the regional finals of the $83,000 Singer teenage dressmaking contest. They are Patricia Slogan, Beechview and Lobina Rustenburg. Both Miss Slogan, regional winner in the senior (14-17) division, and Miss Rustenburg, junior (10-13) winner, received Singer slant-needle portable sewing machines, equipped with automatic zigzagger. In addition, a $300 scholarship was given to Miss Slogan. The presentations were made by A. J. Koller, general agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Company in Pittsburgh. The winning dresses made by Miss Slogan and Miss Rustenburg will now be sent to New York to be considered in the national judging…Miss Slogan, senior division winner, is a senior at St. Mary's of the Mount High School. She has been sewing for the past few years and was a contestant in last year's contest also. She made a beautiful interchangeable sport outfit which consisted of a middy-type blouse with two plaid skirts, one pleated and one straight. She likes to bake and collect stamps. She plans to enter college and pursue a course in Home Economics or Dress Design.”
A skilled and dedicated seamstress, for her entire life, Pat was taught to sew by her Aunt Martha Haas O’Connor in her Bellevue, Pennsylvania home. As a child, she had a collection of 20-30 dolls, which she completely outfitted. She often made clothing for herself, her husband, her children, and her family and friends. Pat made most of her son Bill’s costumes for his dance recitals through 1976, and many costumes for plays and musicals in which he appeared. Over the years, she amassed an impressive collection of fine fabrics, some of which she purchased in high school, on her honeymoon in New York City, or at her favorite fabric outlets, which included Roaring River Mill in Johnstown,. PA and Liberty of London in England. Her fabric collection was donated to Case High School Theatre in Swansea, Massachusetts, where it was used to make costumes for theatrical productions. In 2018, some of her fabric was used to make Joseph’s coat of many colors in their production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.
“Pat was an amazing and skilled sewer. She could make anything - and if she didn’t know - she’d figure out how--Truly innovative. “ Tony Humrichouser
She attended college at Carlow College (formerly Mount Mercy) from 1958-1962, where she studied retail. Her dorm room, shared with Joannie Avonpato (Rednock) overlooked the Pittsburgh Morgue, and also served as the only entrance to the maintanance man’s supply closet. Pat and Joannie would spend hours laughing hysterically as they related these stories to their family and friends. Pat would often tell stories of her culinary education there which frequently involved hosting a Hawaiian Luau, Italian Dinner, or St. Patrick’s Day feast for the dozens of Sisters on the faculty.
After high school, her future husband Bill, got a job at the Dormont Pool and made sure he passed Pat’s house on Pauline Avenue to and from work. She was always sitting outside on the stairs. From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of 6 November 1960, Page. 47:
“The engagement of Patricia Ann Slogan to William M. Wilson has been announced by the future bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Slogan. Mr. Wilson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George T. Wilson of Amabelle Street.”
On September 9, 1961, Patricia Slogan married William Michael Wilson, a classmate at St. Mary of the Mount. They honeymooned in New York City, where they stayed at the Taft Hotel and saw THE SOUND OF MUSIC with Mary Martin, and CAMELOT, with Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, and Roddy McDowell.
Pat and Bill had three children: William Michael Wilson, Jr., born on 29 September 1963, Holly Ellen Wilson on the 3 November 1966, and Amy Kathleen on 28 January 1969. All graduated from Athens High School in Troy, Michigan. William earned degrees from Western Michigan University in Musical Theatre Performance (1987) and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from Wayne State University (1992), Holly earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Penn State University in 1997. William became the Director of Musical Theatre at Rhode Island College, Holly an Environmental Engineer at Barton Mallow Corporation in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Amy, a Hair Stylist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. William married Randal Scott Stowell on 10 June 2016 in Providence, RI, Holly married Linda Landry LaCroix on 24 September 2016, and Amy married Stephen Ronald Mazure on __ November 1993. Amy and Steve had three children: Parker, Amanda, and Liam.
Pat and her husband Bill bought their first house at 5316 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh for $23,000. Almost from the moment they moved in, they eyed a nearly 100 year old farmhouse about a half mile up the street. In 1970, they purchased “the big white house” at 5623 Baptist Road. That was the house that everybody in The Wilson family thought of as home. It was the former residence of the Reverend at the Presbyterian Church across the street on Hamilton Road. Outside, it featured a 60 foot flagpole and a 2 level, underground bomb shelter, a relic from the 1950’s cold war scare.
In 1976, Bill was hired by the Marriott Corporation to open a new restaurant called Merrick’s in the American Motors Building in Southfield, Michigan. The Wilson family moved from Pittsburgh to Troy, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit in August 1976. They lived at 2655 Windsor Drive until 2014, when Pat and Bill moved to East Providence, Rhode Island to be closer to their son Bill.
Pat was an intensely creative person, making quince jam and apple butter from the neighbor’s trees, a chess set from thread spools, picnic tables from massive, industrial, wooden cable spools, quilts, drapes, tablecloths, and watercolor paintings. She could wallpaper a room by herself. She was an avid collector, especially of antiques like jewelry, soap dishes, fine, bone china, and Fostoria crystal. Her homes had large flower gardens. She grew tomatoes, rhubarb, (her favorite) and a multitude of herbs. Pat was also an accomplished cook and baker. She was known for her pies, and her pie crust, and her Thanksgivings, drawn from her kitchen Bible, THE WOMEN’S HOME COMPANION, and her training at Carlow College. With her husband, they threw lavish parties at their homes in Pittsburgh, and in Troy, and hosted holidays like Thanksgiving,(her favorite), for friends and the extended family.
“I met Mr and Mrs. Wilson in 1984. They had a beautiful home in Troy, Michigan and would always host the most terrific parties for Bill after the opening or closing of a show. Many of us had never eaten that way…it was always presented so nicely and they always made us feel very welcome and special. Never stuffy. Always welcome. In addition to college kids, their home would always be full of interesting and eccentric guests that they would invite as well. People from all different places and professions. They lead fascinating lives and would mingle and joke and inquire. Friends - old and new - laughing and living life fully. They taught us how to relax and to enjoy each other's company.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat had numerous jobs. She worked at the Salvation Army across the street from her Parent’s Pauline Avenue home, she popped popcorn in the window of Murphy’s Five and Dime Store on Forbes Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, and she worked at Kaufman’s Department Store and Singer in suburban Pittsburgh. In Troy, Michigan, where she lived from 1976-2014, she was employed by the Troy School District for several years. Her most significant position was at the Kmart Corporation World Headquarters, where she worked on the mainframe computer, and from where she retired as a Computer Analyst.
Pat loved to travel. As a child, she journeyed across the country by car with her Uncle Charlie and Cousin Pat O’Connor, to see Haas relatives in Sacramento. Wilson Family vacations were taken to Atlantic City, Chicago, Milwaukee, the West Coast of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, New York City with her daughter Holly, and numerous Caribbean cruises with her husband to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. In 2004, Pat and her husband embarked on a 2 month tour of Europe. Sailing from Florida, they crossed the Atlantic, and visited ports like the Azores, Cadiz, Barcelona, Monaco, Rome, and Venice. They stayed two weeks in a friend’s home at the foot of the Alps in Telfs, Austria, (near Innsbruck) where they were joined by their son Bill. From Telfs, the three took day trips to Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle, Innsbruck, and Verona, Italy. A highlight of the trip was one week spent in Prague during its’ spring music festival, and a river cruise down the Danube, ending in Budapest. In 2007, Pat, her husband, and son Bill travelled to London for one week. Highlights included Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, The Tower of London, Tea at Kensington Palace, Portobello Road Market, BILLY ELLIOTT, MARY POPPINS, and ON THE TOWN in the West End, and a visit to the famous London fabric store, Liberty of London.
Later in life, Pat struggled with addiction, and in the last three years of her life, made tremendous progress in conquering it. Her classmates from what they describe as “the yellow room” said the following:
“I knew Pat briefly but I am so glad our lives crossed paths. She always made me smile and I loved her sense of style. She wore what she wanted because she could! She will be so fondly remembered by many…”
“Miss Pat was the most loving, kind and sweetest person I have met - Her love & passion for sewing was her gift - sharing what she made to others…seeing her in her fashion glasses and always matching clothes - "FASHION QUEEN" She will be forever missed in the Yellow Room.”
“…Pat has been an inspiration to many and brought great respect that I personally have grown to…admire. I'm saddened that she will no longer be with us physically, but I know her spirit will remain forever in our hearts…Thank you so much Pat, for your true and sincere friendship…”
One week before she was admitted to the hospital, she went kayaking with her son Bill on the Woonasquatucket and Providence Rivers, and days later attended her 60th High School reunion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she connected with classmates from St. Catherine’s Grade School as well as from St. Mary’s. Before returning to Providence, Pat, her Husband, and Son had the opportunity to tour their old home at 5623 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh, and they had a significant visit with her dear childhood friend Sister Pat Phillips, at the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baden, Pennsylvania, where her Great Aunt Marguerite had also served.
“A few weeks ago, when I was visiting, Bill and I went to pick his Dad and Mom for lunch…Mrs. Wilson emerged wearing a massive blue sun hat that she had adorned with a turquoise beaded band. She quietly sat in the back seat next to me, not saying a word. And slowly turned to me and said “Do you like my hat”? with a smirk on her face. She knew it was a bit over the top, and she played it up a bit to make us giggle - but she was so excited to show Bill as she would wear it on their upcoming kayaking adventure through Providence. Later, Bill posted a picture of them in a kayak - Kayaking with "The Mysterious Woman of the Woonasquatucket" - She had a deep desire to try everything. It’s a beautiful memory.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat Wilson passed away quietly in Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island at about 3:00 PM. On 7 August 2017. She was buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI on 11 August 2017. She rests at the corner of Cherry and Pine, under a maple tree.
Biography
Patricia Ann Slogan Wilson was born on November 27, 1940 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The daughter of Frank Stanley Slogan and Eleanor Clare Haas, she grew up in Beechview at 1602 Alverado Street, the home of her Grandfather Stephen Haas and at 2243 Pauline Avenue, the home of her Parents. Her Father Frank was born in Laczyn, Austria Hungary, in what is now Poland, and her Mother Eleanor was born in Beechview, Pennsylvania. Pat’s German heritage came from her Great Great Grandfather Ignatius Haas, born in Wurtemburg, and her Irish heritage from her Great Great Grandfather Thomas Coyne. Pat was a parishioner of St. Catherine’s Church, where she attended grade school. She attended high school from 1954-1958 at St. Mary of the Mount High School, where she finished second in her class. The two streetcar journey from Beechview to Mt. Washington took more than an hour and involved a transfer at South Hills Junction. Those not native to St. Mary’s Parish were called “outsiders” and her tuition averaged around $4 per term. In her yearbook, Pat was described by her classmates as “candid and steadfast” as well as “scholastically industrious and versatile.” Her classmate Paul Stockhousen soon after her passing said “She was so smart and affable.”
“Pat was wickedly intelligent and I found her always to be the smartest person in the room. Artistic and imaginative - she had terrific stories and insight and I always enjoyed spending time with her…” Tony Humrichouser
She served on the editorial board of The Maryan, St Mary’s High School Yearbook. In 1957, as The Maryan states, she became “Pennsylvania’s Miss Singer.” From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of Wednesday, October 2, 1957, Page 13:
WINNERS IN SEWING CONTEST
“A Pittsburgh girl and one from Fairmont, W. Va., are winners in the regional finals of the $83,000 Singer teenage dressmaking contest. They are Patricia Slogan, Beechview and Lobina Rustenburg. Both Miss Slogan, regional winner in the senior (14-17) division, and Miss Rustenburg, junior (10-13) winner, received Singer slant-needle portable sewing machines, equipped with automatic zigzagger. In addition, a $300 scholarship was given to Miss Slogan. The presentations were made by A. J. Koller, general agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Company in Pittsburgh. The winning dresses made by Miss Slogan and Miss Rustenburg will now be sent to New York to be considered in the national judging…Miss Slogan, senior division winner, is a senior at St. Mary's of the Mount High School. She has been sewing for the past few years and was a contestant in last year's contest also. She made a beautiful interchangeable sport outfit which consisted of a middy-type blouse with two plaid skirts, one pleated and one straight. She likes to bake and collect stamps. She plans to enter college and pursue a course in Home Economics or Dress Design.”
A skilled and dedicated seamstress, for her entire life, Pat was taught to sew by her Aunt Martha Haas O’Connor in her Bellevue, Pennsylvania home. As a child, she had a collection of 20-30 dolls, which she completely outfitted. She often made clothing for herself, her husband, her children, and her family and friends. Pat made most of her son Bill’s costumes for his dance recitals through 1976, and many costumes for plays and musicals in which he appeared. Over the years, she amassed an impressive collection of fine fabrics, some of which she purchased in high school, on her honeymoon in New York City, or at her favorite fabric outlets, which included Roaring River Mill in Johnstown,. PA and Liberty of London in England. Her fabric collection was donated to Case High School Theatre in Swansea, Massachusetts, where it was used to make costumes for theatrical productions. In 2018, some of her fabric was used to make Joseph’s coat of many colors in their production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.
“Pat was an amazing and skilled sewer. She could make anything - and if she didn’t know - she’d figure out how--Truly innovative. “ Tony Humrichouser
She attended college at Carlow College (formerly Mount Mercy) from 1958-1962, where she studied retail. Her dorm room, shared with Joannie Avonpato (Rednock) overlooked the Pittsburgh Morgue, and also served as the only entrance to the maintanance man’s supply closet. Pat and Joannie would spend hours laughing hysterically as they related these stories to their family and friends. Pat would often tell stories of her culinary education there which frequently involved hosting a Hawaiian Luau, Italian Dinner, or St. Patrick’s Day feast for the dozens of Sisters on the faculty.
After high school, her future husband Bill, got a job at the Dormont Pool and made sure he passed Pat’s house on Pauline Avenue to and from work. She was always sitting outside on the stairs. From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette of 6 November 1960, Page. 47:
“The engagement of Patricia Ann Slogan to William M. Wilson has been announced by the future bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Slogan. Mr. Wilson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George T. Wilson of Amabelle Street.”
On September 9, 1961, Patricia Slogan married William Michael Wilson, a classmate at St. Mary of the Mount. They honeymooned in New York City, where they stayed at the Taft Hotel and saw THE SOUND OF MUSIC with Mary Martin, and CAMELOT, with Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet, and Roddy McDowell.
Pat and Bill had three children: William Michael Wilson, Jr., born on 29 September 1963, Holly Ellen Wilson on the 3 November 1966, and Amy Kathleen on 28 January 1969. All graduated from Athens High School in Troy, Michigan. William earned degrees from Western Michigan University in Musical Theatre Performance (1987) and a Master of Fine Arts in Directing from Wayne State University (1992), Holly earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Penn State University in 1997. William became the Director of Musical Theatre at Rhode Island College, Holly an Environmental Engineer at Barton Mallow Corporation in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Amy, a Hair Stylist in Ann Arbor, Michigan. William married Randal Scott Stowell on 10 June 2016 in Providence, RI, Holly married Linda Landry LaCroix on 24 September 2016, and Amy married Stephen Ronald Mazure on __ November 1993. Amy and Steve had three children: Parker, Amanda, and Liam.
Pat and her husband Bill bought their first house at 5316 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh for $23,000. Almost from the moment they moved in, they eyed a nearly 100 year old farmhouse about a half mile up the street. In 1970, they purchased “the big white house” at 5623 Baptist Road. That was the house that everybody in The Wilson family thought of as home. It was the former residence of the Reverend at the Presbyterian Church across the street on Hamilton Road. Outside, it featured a 60 foot flagpole and a 2 level, underground bomb shelter, a relic from the 1950’s cold war scare.
In 1976, Bill was hired by the Marriott Corporation to open a new restaurant called Merrick’s in the American Motors Building in Southfield, Michigan. The Wilson family moved from Pittsburgh to Troy, Michigan, a northern suburb of Detroit in August 1976. They lived at 2655 Windsor Drive until 2014, when Pat and Bill moved to East Providence, Rhode Island to be closer to their son Bill.
Pat was an intensely creative person, making quince jam and apple butter from the neighbor’s trees, a chess set from thread spools, picnic tables from massive, industrial, wooden cable spools, quilts, drapes, tablecloths, and watercolor paintings. She could wallpaper a room by herself. She was an avid collector, especially of antiques like jewelry, soap dishes, fine, bone china, and Fostoria crystal. Her homes had large flower gardens. She grew tomatoes, rhubarb, (her favorite) and a multitude of herbs. Pat was also an accomplished cook and baker. She was known for her pies, and her pie crust, and her Thanksgivings, drawn from her kitchen Bible, THE WOMEN’S HOME COMPANION, and her training at Carlow College. With her husband, they threw lavish parties at their homes in Pittsburgh, and in Troy, and hosted holidays like Thanksgiving,(her favorite), for friends and the extended family.
“I met Mr and Mrs. Wilson in 1984. They had a beautiful home in Troy, Michigan and would always host the most terrific parties for Bill after the opening or closing of a show. Many of us had never eaten that way…it was always presented so nicely and they always made us feel very welcome and special. Never stuffy. Always welcome. In addition to college kids, their home would always be full of interesting and eccentric guests that they would invite as well. People from all different places and professions. They lead fascinating lives and would mingle and joke and inquire. Friends - old and new - laughing and living life fully. They taught us how to relax and to enjoy each other's company.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat had numerous jobs. She worked at the Salvation Army across the street from her Parent’s Pauline Avenue home, she popped popcorn in the window of Murphy’s Five and Dime Store on Forbes Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh, and she worked at Kaufman’s Department Store and Singer in suburban Pittsburgh. In Troy, Michigan, where she lived from 1976-2014, she was employed by the Troy School District for several years. Her most significant position was at the Kmart Corporation World Headquarters, where she worked on the mainframe computer, and from where she retired as a Computer Analyst.
Pat loved to travel. As a child, she journeyed across the country by car with her Uncle Charlie and Cousin Pat O’Connor, to see Haas relatives in Sacramento. Wilson Family vacations were taken to Atlantic City, Chicago, Milwaukee, the West Coast of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, New York City with her daughter Holly, and numerous Caribbean cruises with her husband to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. In 2004, Pat and her husband embarked on a 2 month tour of Europe. Sailing from Florida, they crossed the Atlantic, and visited ports like the Azores, Cadiz, Barcelona, Monaco, Rome, and Venice. They stayed two weeks in a friend’s home at the foot of the Alps in Telfs, Austria, (near Innsbruck) where they were joined by their son Bill. From Telfs, the three took day trips to Munich, Neuschwanstein Castle, Innsbruck, and Verona, Italy. A highlight of the trip was one week spent in Prague during its’ spring music festival, and a river cruise down the Danube, ending in Budapest. In 2007, Pat, her husband, and son Bill travelled to London for one week. Highlights included Westminster Abbey, The London Eye, The Tower of London, Tea at Kensington Palace, Portobello Road Market, BILLY ELLIOTT, MARY POPPINS, and ON THE TOWN in the West End, and a visit to the famous London fabric store, Liberty of London.
Later in life, Pat struggled with addiction, and in the last three years of her life, made tremendous progress in conquering it. Her classmates from what they describe as “the yellow room” said the following:
“I knew Pat briefly but I am so glad our lives crossed paths. She always made me smile and I loved her sense of style. She wore what she wanted because she could! She will be so fondly remembered by many…”
“Miss Pat was the most loving, kind and sweetest person I have met - Her love & passion for sewing was her gift - sharing what she made to others…seeing her in her fashion glasses and always matching clothes - "FASHION QUEEN" She will be forever missed in the Yellow Room.”
“…Pat has been an inspiration to many and brought great respect that I personally have grown to…admire. I'm saddened that she will no longer be with us physically, but I know her spirit will remain forever in our hearts…Thank you so much Pat, for your true and sincere friendship…”
One week before she was admitted to the hospital, she went kayaking with her son Bill on the Woonasquatucket and Providence Rivers, and days later attended her 60th High School reunion in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she connected with classmates from St. Catherine’s Grade School as well as from St. Mary’s. Before returning to Providence, Pat, her Husband, and Son had the opportunity to tour their old home at 5623 Baptist Road in Pittsburgh, and they had a significant visit with her dear childhood friend Sister Pat Phillips, at the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baden, Pennsylvania, where her Great Aunt Marguerite had also served.
“A few weeks ago, when I was visiting, Bill and I went to pick his Dad and Mom for lunch…Mrs. Wilson emerged wearing a massive blue sun hat that she had adorned with a turquoise beaded band. She quietly sat in the back seat next to me, not saying a word. And slowly turned to me and said “Do you like my hat”? with a smirk on her face. She knew it was a bit over the top, and she played it up a bit to make us giggle - but she was so excited to show Bill as she would wear it on their upcoming kayaking adventure through Providence. Later, Bill posted a picture of them in a kayak - Kayaking with "The Mysterious Woman of the Woonasquatucket" - She had a deep desire to try everything. It’s a beautiful memory.” Tony Humrichouser
Pat Wilson passed away quietly in Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island at about 3:00 PM. On 7 August 2017. She was buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, RI on 11 August 2017. She rests at the corner of Cherry and Pine, under a maple tree.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
