Patricia Stryker, known to everyone as Pat, the soft spoken, lovable, ever patient and understanding wife, mother, grandmother, great -grandmother and friend to all, passed away Sunday, January 11, at home. She was 95 years old and married for former Atlantic Highlands Mayor Richard Stryker for 73 years.

Born in Queens, New York September 5, 1931, Pat was the daughter of the late Katherine and Raymond McDonald and spent many of her growing up years living in Keansburg. She is a graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School and worked in New York as a medical secretary.

It was while she was communing to her position in New York, traveling along the Central Railroad every day from Keansburg, that Pat first met her future husband. Dick was commuting every day on the same train from his home in Atlantic Highlands to St. John’s University where he earned his pharmaceutical degree . The couple shared the train ride daily, dated, and married several years later.

While her husband was engaged in politics for more than a quarter of a century in Atlantic Highlands, where the couple lived most of their married life and raised their family, Pat stayed out of the political picture, ignored the impacts it had on their lives and continued to provide the kind of home Dick always wanted to return to.

Her husband tells the story of her one involvement in politics. It was a time when Pat stood up at a council meeting where he was presiding and wanted to ask a question. He declined to recognize her and would not allow the question. He candidly admitted many years later “I certainly did answer it when I got home, though.”

An avid gardener as well as outstanding culinary artist and baker, Pat enveloped her four children with love, sharing an abundance of that love with the next two generations when her grandchildren married, enlarging this very loving family as great grandchildren were born.

She always looked forward to summers when the three generations came from Texas and Florida, from California and North Carolina to join with the New Jersey contingent to hear Pat’s stories, taste those pastries and home cooking and be surrounded by her love, smiles and wisdom. Winters, the senior Strykers enjoyed time with friends on Caribbean island sand other warm states in the union.

When her husband retired from Bayshore Pharmacy in Atlantic Highlands which he had founded, the couple moved to Ocean Pines, Md. where Pat once again got involved in the community and was an avid bowler, as well as Garden Club member, Book Club member, and volunteer with “Believe in Tomorrow ” an organization working with children and families dealing with cancer. After 17 years Pat and Dick returned to Atlantic Highlands to be near their family, and lived here several years before moving to Conifer Village in Middletown..

Visitation will be at the Posten McGinley Funeral Home, Lincoln Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, Thursday, Jan. 15 from 3 to 7 p.m.. A mass will be offered Friday morning, Jan 16 at St. Agnes Church, Center Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, at 11 a.m. Internment will be private following the mass.

Pat is survived by four children and their spouses, Kathy and Mark Ackerson of Leonardo, Jim and Maryann Stryker of Yreka California, Sue and Terry Fletcher of Sunset, Tx, and Richard and Jill Stryker of Middletown. She is survived, by nine grandchildren and their spouses, Melissa and Eric Zihlman, Ryan and Lauren Rodriguez,  Jesse Stryker,  Gerald Stryker,  Elizabeth and Harrison Coates, Chris and Jack Stryker,  Billyjoe and Jordan Fletcher and Nicholas and Jessica Rodriguez. She is also survived by nine great grandchildren, Ethan, Teague, Grace Katherine, Gray Zihlman, Grace Stryker, Ryley, Kolby, Adley Rodriguez and Jedidiah Fletcher.  Pat is also survived by sisters-in-law Barbara Golden and Rose McDonald. 

The family is suggesting in lieu of flowers, friends of Pat show their appreciation of her love and concern for others and consider a donation to St Jude’s Research hospital,  501 St. Judes Place,  Memphis TN 38105 in Pat’s name. 

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