Pat Wilcox – Emeritus member
Past Offices Held with Denver Branch: Vice President 1996-1998; Owl Notes Editor 1996-1998; Publicity Chair 1999-2000, Co-Chair 2000-2001. Reporter-feature writer for newspapers since 1942 in Boston & Denver areas; Jefferson County Sentinel (1954 – 1985). Editor and major contributor for: 76 Centennial Stories of Lakewood: an Illustrated Biography. Winner of more than 100 state and national journalism awards; named to the Jefferson County Hall of Fame; 1992 “Woman Who Made a Difference” (Lakewood); Named “Outstanding Woman in the Media” by Women’s Network. Professional Memberships: Denver Woman’s Press Club; WAC Veteran.
Patricia Keelan Wilcox died on April 27, 2018 under the care of Denver Hospice.
Pat was a native of Massachusetts, born in Boston on April 30, 1920, and was the eldest of four brothers and one sister. She attended Wheaton College (BA) and Boston University (MA) and worked on the editorial staff of Tribune Publishing Co., Boston. She joined the Women’s Army Corps in 1943 when it still held only an auxiliary status. During this time she met and married William (Bill) Chism (AF pilot) in Greenville, Mississippi. Pat served as a public relations specialist for Army Air Force publications in the southeast, US for three years, and later took an assignment as a writer in Paris, France after the death of her husband.
After the war, Pat returned to Boston and rejoined the Tribune Staff where she met and married Forrest Wilcox. Moving to Denver, the Wilcox’s settled in Lakewood. Pat worked for Jefferson Sentinel/Lakewood Sentinel as a columnist, news, crime and feature writer from 1956 until her retirement in 1985. She has been a long time member and past Commander of Post 206 Legion, a founder of the Lakewood Historical Society and museum, past member of UUAW, Pen Women, Colorado Press Women among other organizations. In addition, Pat served as editor of 76 Centennial Stories of Lakewood as a member of the Lakewood Centennial-Bicentennial Commission, and subsequently Lakewood-Colorado An Illustrated Biography. Pat spent the last 11 years as a resident of the Fitzsimmons Veterans Home in Aurora.
Pat is survived by her son Kent Wilcox; and daughters Katharine Kyanne; Dana Kohlmann; and Patti and her husband Danny Von Feldt; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.