Patricia "Patty" J. DiPrete
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Patricia J. DiPrete from Bow, NH died suddenly on July 9, 2021 at Concord Hospital's ICU after a very brief illness despite excellent, heroic nursing and provider care.
Patty was born on October 19, 1952 in Lancaster, NH, the third child of Frederick J. and Margaret Tillotson Mills. She graduated from Groveton High School in 1970 and attended Concord Technical Institute. She spent the first couple decades of her career working at Blue Cross/Blue Shield and was proud of her advancement from an entry level clerical position into management levels by the time she left in 1987.
She met her future husband at BC/BS and married Arthur T. DiPrete in 1975. They celebrated their 25th anniversary just days before he died suddenly in 2000 at age 55. Patty and Art co-founded DiPrete Promotions Gun Shows in the mid-1980s and Pat continued to very successfully run the business by herself after Art's death until she sold it in 2016. Patty appreciated her very loyal customers and long-standing exhibitors who trusted and praised her management of the gun shows. She and her dedicated staff determinedly ran their first gun show without Art, the biggest on their annual schedule at Concord Arena, within days of his unexpected passing rather than cancelling out creating disruption for all.
Patty greatly enjoyed her retirement, spending as much time as possible at her beloved Moody Beach, Maine, and loved being "at camp" on Maidstone Lake, Vermont, with all of her family and hometown friends. She was always ready to travel to a beautiful beach, but hated the ordeal of actual travel to get there. She had a goal of living full-time in a waterfront location, loved the sun (always with sunscreen!), but loved full moon rises even more. She was an constant reader, a great cook, loved to dance, sing, and play cards, and was always appreciated as a fun-loving party guest. In very recent years she became an avid sports enthusiast following the New England Patriots and her handsome Tom Brady even after he left for Tampa Bay. Nothing could get her as excited as cheering for her "boy," NASCAR driver Kyle (or as she said, 'Kaahl') Larson. She would wear their official team sweatshirts when she was watching their competitions and often be on her feet cheering for them which might have been a holdover from her years as a high school cheerleader.
Patty was beloved by all who knew her and they are stunned and greatly saddened by her sudden death. She had a knack for forging strong friendships, turning family into friends, and friends into family. She leaves behind her step-son and his wife, Frank and Sabrina DiPrete of Nashua, NH; her brother and sister-in-law, Michael and Mary Lou Mills of Derby, VT; her sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen and Leon Frizzell of Champaign, IL; her brother-in-law and his wife, James and Maureen DeCesaris of Cranston, RI; her sister-in-law, Lorraine Mirra of Cranston, RI; and many cherished nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews with whom she had forged strong bonds despite their generational age differences. They loved their "Aunt Patty," enjoyed spending time and talking together, and were all a great source of enjoyment and support to her generously offering their help whenever needed.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Groveton (NH) High School Alumni Association General Scholarship Fund (GHSAA, c/o John Potter, Treasurer, 19-1/2 Michael Rd, Beverly, MA 01915) or to your local food bank. Or, with Patty's spirit in mind, pass along a generous kindness to someone or arrange to do something fun with a friend.
A graveside memorial service is scheduled for Monday, July 19, 2021 at 11 am, at Evans Cemetery, 28 White Rock Hill Rd, Bow, NH. A celebration of Patty's life will immediately follow at the Red Blazer Restaurant, 72 Manchester St., Concord, NH.
The Bennett Funeral Home, 209 North Main St., Concord, NH 03301, has been entrusted with the care of her funeral arrangements. For online expressions of sympathy to the family, please visit BennettFuneral.com.