Daughter of Rose Marie (Shimaski) Sikorski & the late Chester W. Sikorski. She was the wife of Paul J. Heffner. They were married 27 years and had one daughter. Patti was a 1976 graduate of Dieruff High School in Allentown where she led the girl's basketball team to two state championships in 1975 and 1976. After high school she went to Rutgers University where she was a star player on the women's basketball team leading them to 4 EAIAW tournament appearances from 1976-1980 including a Final Eight showing in 1980. In her career at Rutgers she scored 1,284 points and had 624 rebounds which as of 2010 were 10th and 12th best in school history. Her average of 15.8 points per game as a freshman is the best ever for a Rutgers freshman. Her coaching career began as an assistant coach at Lafayette College. She then accepted the position as head coach of the girl's basketball team at Catasauqua High School where she compiled a record of 204-92 in 11 seasons, including a state AA championship in 1988. Finally, she became head girl's basketball coach at Parkland High School where her record in 9 seasons was 174-75, including a state AAAA championship in 2006 when the team went 31-3 with Patti's daughter a member of that team. Patti was named PIAA AAAA Coach of the Year in 2006. She has been inducted into five different halls of fame, the basketball hall of fame at Dieruff High School, Catasauqua High School, Parkland High School, Rutgers University and the Lehigh Valley Basketball Hall of Fame. She was a physical education teacher at Catasauqua High School for the past 28 years. Her daughter was a member of the NCAA Division III nationally ranked women's basketball team at Moravian College in Bethlehem. Patti was diagnosed with brain cancer on January 14, 2009 and lost her battle with the disease on January 5, 2010 at the age of 51. A memorial scholarship fund has been established in her name.