Patricia Margaret Hanson - Obituary

atricia Margaret "Pat" Hanson, 81, of Edgewater, Maryland, after a seven-week hospital stay, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, at BridgePoint Long-Term Acute Care facility in Washington, D.C. Born December 19, 1944, in Boston, Massachusetts, Pat dedicated her life to faith, service, and education. She earned a bachelor's degree in Pre-Medicine from Stonehill College. When her dream of attending medical school and becoming a doctor became an impossibility, she rechannelled her energy and joined the Society of Catholic Medical Mission Sisters. She was assigned to a challenging pilot project in Malawi, represented the project at a conference in Uganda, and taught in the hospital and surrounding villages. When she returned to the United States in 1971, she obtained a Master of Education from The Catholic University of America and she began her career as an accomplished science educator. Pat taught at St. Cecilia Academy on Capitol Hill and later served for 30 years in Montgomery County Public Schools as a science teacher, department chair, assistant principal, and administrator. She concluded her distinguished career at the Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Maryland, where she served as a science teacher, administrator, and Director of the International Baccalaureate Program. A resident of Edgewater for 39 years, Pat enjoyed singing with the Encore Chorale and Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus. She loved creating handmade cards, spending time in nature, and caring for her beloved dogs and cats. She will be remembered for her kindness, quiet faith, generous spirit, and steadfast commitment to inspiring young people. She is survived by her life-long friend Mary Lynne Boss; her brother, Jeffrey Hanson and his wife, Elaine; her nephew, Derek Hanson and his wife, Heather; her nieces, Rebecca Chenard and her husband, David, and Amy Collins and her husband, Alex; six beloved grandnieces and grandnephews; and many cherished friends, former students, and colleagues. Visitation will be held Thursday, August 13, 2026, from 10:00–11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, Davidsonville, Maryland, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Lakemont Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Rosaria Communities Foundation, Inc., 2700 Covered Wagon Way, Olney, MD 20832.