Obituary of Mrs. Patricia Kravitz

July 2, 2019

Patricia was born on October 23, 1942, in East Meadow, Long Island to Ellen "Nellie" (Corrigan) Minerly and Ralph Minerly. In 1948 the Minerly's moved to 48 Post Avenue in upper Inwood Manhattan. Strangely enough, the Kravitz family lived two doors down at 34 Post Avenue. Who knew that Patricia and Michael would meet and marry years later? Patricia and Michael met in 1969 and lived together for seven years before getting married on April 5, 1976.

Patricia went to PS 52 and PS 98 in Inwood, then went to a secretarial high school where she was extremely efficient in steno and shorthand. In 1971, she was accepted to CCNY where she majored in psychology and minored in Latin. She graduated summa cum laude and was accepted to Pratt Institute where she graduated with high honors in the field of art therapy with a Masters degree.

Patricia was active in forming and running the Woman's Health and Abortion Project which was instrumental in New York State passing the first abortion law in the early seventies.

She was the co-founder of the 43rd Street Pre-School and First Steps program which are still in existence and are actively sought out by many New York families.

Patricia began working at the Bank Street College where the Bank Street School was the laboratory and training facility for teacher education. She spent 19 years there after becoming the Director of the Visitor's Program. She acted as one of the faces of the school, receiving families and educators from all over the world.

She also formed a quilting club at Manhattan Plaza which became the Empire Quilters. Patricia organized a major quilting exhibition at the Puck Building for the Empire Quilters along with several other quilting groups. She hung several quilts and won a Blue Ribbon for Best Quilt and Honorable Mention in her entered categories. Her knowledge of fabric and sewing was extensive, and her innovative quilts were also published at least two books, one of them "Quilts Across America: The Making of the Great American Quilt Banner".

In the early 2000s, Patricia noticed that people started selling fabric on eBay. She had an extensive collection of rare, interesting, collectible, and good quality fabric, so she opened her own online store. Thanks to her eye for design, color, and material, she had a very successful summer.

In 1991, she was diagnosed with colon cancer and she had two inches of her colon removed. That was the beginning of her quest to learn about living with cancer without chemotherapy. She went to Atlanta for transfusions; to Michigan for wheatgrass, and finally to Germany where her blood was used to create a personal vaccine. Dr. Raymond Chang was her oncologist for the past ten years. She would recommend books and articles to him and he did the same. Together they were a formidable team on cancer knowledge. Her knowledge of the disease allowed her to add years to her life and for Sara and I to share those years.

Patricia was fun, funny, and charismatic. She loved to read, learn, and go on adventures. She loved mysteries, The X-Files, Project Runway, and What Not to Wear. She loved animals, books, and all kinds of natural phenomenon. She had an infectious energy and people would constantly comment on her beautiful smile and blue, blue eyes.

Patricia had a full, loving and interesting life which made our lives full, loving and interesting. The world was a better place for her presence.

She was truly a special and unique individual, with her own innovative way of thinking and approach to the world. We are proud and thrilled of all she accomplished and to have had her as long as we did. We will miss her very much.

Love,
Michael and Sara

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