Obituary of Patricia A Kirchner

Patricia A. Kirchner, a retired purchasing manager and member of the Board of Directors at Continental Resources in Bedford, MA, passed away after an extended illness, with her family at her bedside on Friday night, January 26, 2018. She was 77 years old. Pat was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Timothy and Mary Campbell. Her family lived in Allston before settling in Arlington. She was a 1958 graduate of Arlington High School and went on to attend Hitchcock Secretarial School. Pat worked for 30 years at Continental Resources. She loved being a part of the growing, family owned business. She was a purchasing manager and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. She loved her years there with friends and coworkers. They were family to her. Pat’s career gave her great satisfaction. Pat first met her future husband, Robert Kirchner, at the local burger hangout. He was a big, strapping man and she was a bit unsure of him, so Pat initially told Bob that her name was Patty Applebee. She had to confess the fib when Bob recognized a photograph Pat showed him of her brother, Dennis. Despite their awkward start, the romance blossomed, and they were married in 1962. The couple moved to Burlington in 1965, where they raised their three children. When the kids were young, Pat was always involved in all their lives. She was a Cub Scout Leader for the boys. She was a member of the Fox Hill School PTO. Pat taught first grade religious education, volunteered for Pop Warner, and worked as a lunch lady at the Fox Hill. She was always in the stands supporting her children and then her grandchildren, at football, lacrosse and hockey games, and cheering competitions. When her husband Bob passed away in 1986 at the age of 47, Pat was there to support her children and reassure them that the family would be okay. She had a kind and sentimental heart and always placed her family first. She was the type of person that if someone took the time and effort to send her a thoughtful card or a special note, she would save them all because each one had personal meaning for her. Her thoughtfulness and warmth made her a special friend to many. She was still very close to many of her high school friends, even after 60 years. She maintained friendships with neighbors, other parents in town, and the countless people she met throughout the journey of her life. She will be remembered as a strong woman with a huge heart, filled with love and compassion. It was her love of family that brought her the greatest joy. Pat was the beloved wife of the late Robert L., Loving mother of Robert “Moose” & his wife Jennifer of Billerica, Timothy & his wife Victoria of Burlington and Karyn Moody & her husband Francis of Billerica. Sister of Dennis Campbell & his late wife Claire of MD. Sister-in-law of William & Rita Kirchner, Alice Kirchner and the late Agnes & Paul Stahl and Vaughn Kasabian, all of Arlington. Proud grandmother of Sean, Corey, Cooper, Tyler, Kassidy, Kamryn, Emersyn & Chase Kirchner; Caleb, Seth, Aaron & Andrew Moody; Rebecca Anton and Rachel Hampton. Great grandmother of Riley & Reagan Anton and Joseph Hampton. Funeral from the Edward V Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128/95 Woburn side) on Thursday Feb 1 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. Interment in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Burlington. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Patricia’s name may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.