Patricia Z. Roberts

Patricia Zanio Roberts of Wading River, NY passed away peacefully on May 27, 2024. Born January 29, 1931 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of Almay (Wedell) and Leon Zanio. After graduating from high school in 1949, she earned a scholarship to attend the five-year collegiate nursing program at Burbank Hospital School of Nursing and Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts. With the enthusiasm and confidence of an 18-year old, she boarded a train for the Northeast and a new life.

Nursing turned out to be a great fit and utilized her fine mind and compassionate approach to people.  And then in the fall of her freshman college year she met her future husband,  Francis Roberts, also a student at Fitchburg State.  They were married on December 25, 1953, when Fran was serving in the Army and Pat was finishing her last year of college.

Alexandria, Virginia was their first home, with Fran on duty at Fort Belvoir, and Pat employed as a staff nurse in Pediatrics at Alexandria Hospital. After Fran was discharged from the Army, they moved to Middlefield, Connecticut, where Fran resumed his teaching career and began graduate studies at Wesleyan University. Pat became supervisor of two medical units and Instructor of Medical Nursing at Middlesex Memorial Hospital.

Pat also taught at Peter Bent Brigham   Hospital in Boston while Fran was completing his doctorate at Harvard University, and later at Springfield Hospital School of Nursing.  She earned a Master’s Degree at Springfield College. Later she was a Visiting Nurse supervisor in Connecticut and for three years was on the clinical staff in the research setting of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.  From 1983 until 1996 Pat was a senior member of the nursing staff at Huntington Hospital, and retired as Director of Staff Development. She continued after retirement as a consultant, assisting the Hospital in the process of seeking and achieving Magnet Status for Nursing Excellence.

Pat was devoted to family life and the birth and early development of her three children and later to her grandchildren. Additionally, in retirement Pat continued to be active in professional nursing organizations and community activities. She enjoyed working with people in diverse settings including Silver Sneakers and yoga and lively book discussions at the North Shore Library. She regularly attended the Wading River Congregational Church.

Pat is survived by her beloved husband   of 70 years, Dr. Francis Roberts, with whom she was a dedicated partner in his  career as school leader, college president, and professor. She leaves her three daughters, Elizabeth Scaduto and her husband Anthony Scaduto,  Katherine Roberts Parez and her husband Josh, and  Cynthia Roberts and her husband Robert Guay, as well as her three grandchildren Owen, Brian, and Giovanna, and Pat’s sister Constance Wilkins.

Visitation will be held for Patricia Z. Roberts on Friday, May 31, from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM, at Alexander-Rothwell Funeral Home, located on 6447 Route 25A, Wading River, NY. A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 1, at Wading River Congregational Church, at 11:00 AM. Interment will follow at Wading River Cemetery.

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