Patrick J. McGeary, former marketing director at Ave Maria Press, passed away on January 1 at his home in Venice, Florida, after a two-month illness. Pat was able to enjoy the Christmas holidays with his wife Marion, three daughters, and four grandchildren. As per his goal, he was able to watch Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl (albeit with undesired results) and the Chicago Bears in their last regular season game.
Pat was an unforgettable person. I met him for the first time at the NCCL conference in Covington, Kentucky in 1994. After I set up the booth, Pat came in and rearranged some of the books. I was taken aback, but after talking with him for a few minutes he warmed me over with an array of stories about publishing, growing up in New York City, basketball, and much more. We went out for a steak dinner that night and chatted way later than we should have.
The next night Pat invited me to go with him to the NCCL publisher’s dinner. I wasn’t that interested but Pat wanted me to meet one of his old friends. When we got there the host requested everyone in attendance stand up and “tell something unique about themselves” or something to that effect. Pat looked and me and I looked at him and we both bolted for the door along with the young and flustered Sister who had ridden in the car with us.
Pat came to work at Ave Maria Press shortly after and we enjoyed several more years of good conversations along with our regular tasks of producing, marketing, and selling our books.
In your hands, O Lord,
we humbly entrust our brother Pat.
In this life you embraced him with your tender love;
deliver him now from every evil
and bid him eternal rest.
The old order has passed away:
welcome him into paradise,
where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain,
but fullness of peace and joy
with your Son and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever.
R/. Amen.
--Mike Amodei
