Patricia Griffith Calvert - Obituary

atricia Griffith Calvert (88), beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend, was born on September 20, 1936 and died on November 11, 2024. She is survived by her loving family, including her daughters, Jeanne (Timothy) Ring and Laura (Gary) Franklin; her grandchildren, Timothy Jr. (TJ and Caitlin), Michael (Tracy) Ring, Morgan (Samuel Weinberger), and Sydney Franklin; and her great grandchildren, Natalie, Tyler, and Connor Ring, and Cameron Weinberger. She is also survived by her step children Christi (Patrick) Palumbo, Leigh (Andrew) Smith, Karen (Miguel) Ugarte, and Jeffery (Karen) Calvert, grandchildren, Natalie (Michael) Breault, Christopher Calvert, Elizabeth Smith, Andres Ugarte, Ian Ugarte, Paige Calvert, Molly Calvert; and great grandchildren, Violet and Emmett Breault, as well as her sister, Peggy Krahling. Patricia was preceded in death by her husband of 31 years, Corlette Cameron (Cam) Calvert, PhD., and her son, Ralph Martin (Marty) Marceron. Patricia grew up a native Washingtonian surrounded by family and lifelong friends. She graduated from Immaculata College with an A.A. degree in Liberal Arts in 1956, and a B.A. from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in journalism in 1976. From 1965 – 1996, she began and ended an incredible 31-year federal government career. Her career was spent in various management and leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She retired from USDA as the Deputy Administrator for Communications, Technology and Distance Education for Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. She received many distinguished awards during her career including the first USDA Secretary of Agriculture’s Workforce Diversity Award in 1993. After retirement, Patricia continued to use her talents as a leader, writer and editor. She was involved in various organizations and social clubs holding leadership positions, include Zonta International. She also had a talent and passion for fashion and design, working at Lord & Taylor, and other boutique fashion shops. She loved dressing in the latest fashions and decorating her homes in a unique and beautiful style. Her love for fashion and decorating lives on through family and friends, as they were the recipients of so much of it, we have affectionately dubbed it the Pat Calvert Collection. Patricia and Cam loved to spend time with family and friends, and traveling the world. When home, their passion for gardening won them many neighborhood awards for Best Garden. They also spent many years as snowbirds and then residents of Florida, where they enjoyed their passion for seafood and seashores. Patricia’s arrangements were handled in Maryland by Kalas Funeral and the service was private. In lieu of flowers or contributions, the family asked that you leave them a comment sharing your thoughts and memories of her.