Patricia A. Durava was the daughter of the late Helen Kern (Coughlin) and the late Roy F. Kern. She was the beloved wife of the late Casimer (Casey) W. Durava for nearly 67 years. Pat was the loving mother of Michael (deceased), Terry, Patrick (wife – Carol Hendrickson), Shawn (wife -Laurie Lindquist) and Maureen (husband – Geoff Burch) and the proud grandmother of Ashley, Amanda (fiancée – Ryan Landry) and Annie Durava, Molly and Caroline Durava, and Allison and Gillian Burch. Patricia also experienced the grief of four miscarried babies who have always remained close to her heart. She was the fond sister of Kenneth Kern and his wife was her sister-in heart Gloria. She was an adored aunt and cousin to too many to mention by name, but whose names she never forgot to pray for daily.

Pat (Patsy to her cousins), was always grateful that she could be a fulltime wife and mother. She dedicated herself to advancing God's Holy Catholic Church and defending the unborn through the Right-to-Life Movement. Patricia was ceaseless in her prayer and her determination that God could be trusted with decisions both big and small. She was overwhelmingly generous to both those she knew and those she did not.  And though her life was seeded with both physical pain and tremendous grief, she modeled a life of service and faith in God.

She could be known for her letters, where she unapologetically expressed both her personal feelings and what she understood of God's commands and directives. Love was the intention that directed her words and she believed that the Holy Spirit often inspired those writings. She teased that the mission God had given her was to "afflict the comfortable".  She was equally tender-hearted and merciful to the people she saw as abandoned, sick, forgotten, or misunderstood in this world. Her impact was incalculable, and her loss will be deeply felt.

Memorial Masses in her name would be appreciated. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the following causes:  (EWTN) Eternal Word Television (800-447-EWTN/ 5817 Old Leeds Road, Irondale AL 35210), the Women's Resource Center (773-283-1400/ 5116 North Cicero Avenue Chicago, IL 60630) or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital (800-805-5856/ 501 St Jude's Place Memphis, TN 38105).

Her visitation and funeral will occur on Monday, April 19th. The visitation will be from 9-11:30 a.m at Cooney Funeral Home (625 Busse Hwy in Park Ridge).  A funeral Mass will follow at St. John Brebeuf (8305 N. Harlem in Niles) at 12 noon. Interment All Saints Cemetery. All covid precautions will be followed. For information please call 847-685-1002 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com