Patricia M. Katula

Our beloved Patricia died from the effects of Parkinson’s disease on October 28, 2024, at the age of 80 years. Pat was loved by all who knew her. We will miss her gentle ways and the shadow of her smile.

Pat was born to Alice and John Mustari in Texas, where John was stationed during WWII. After the war, the family moved to Chicago where Pat attended public and Catholic schools. In 1968, she married Richard Katula and in 1973 they moved to Rhode Island where Richard had accepted a position at the University of Rhode Island. Pat earned her B.S. degree in Nursing at URI and began working at the URI Health Clinic. She served undergraduates there for the next 33 years. During the summer months, Pat worked at South County Hospital in what was then Express Care.

Pat was mother to Michael Katula and she also raised a nephew, Brian Mustari. She had two grandchildren, Anton and Amelia. Her influence was inestimable on her children, her grandchildren, and the thousands of students she treated during the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. At her retirement party, one of the doctors noted that the Health Clinic was losing its smartest person.

Pat was a talented tennis player and an avid cyclist before falling victim to Parkinson’s disease. She leaves behind a legacy of intelligence, love, and thoughtfulness. To know Pat was to love her and to admire the quiet way she influenced others. She leaves this world a better place, a healthier place, and a more beautiful place. These are the hallmarks of a life lived for others.