Patrick Joseph "Pat" Lawler

Patrick (Pat) Joseph Lawler- the man, the myth, the legend- died unexpectedly in his home March 13, 2025 at the age of 80.

Born May 4, 1944 to Robert and Aroline (Gordon) Lawler in Wellsville NY, Pat left home at the age of 13 to join the Catholic seminary. There he learned not so much the word of God but how to pull off a good prank and the joy that comes from humor. He passed these gifts down for generations and shared them with all who met him. Cracking a joke to put people at ease and then retelling and embellishing till he fell over with laughter was a trademark move.

Pat graduated from Loyola University receiving a degree in Psychology and was also the basketball team tutor. He was hired at IBM- not for his tech prowess but for his sweet skills on the basketball court. It is there that he met his wife- Sandy and February 1973 found them pulling their camper through Hellgate canyon making Missoula their home. Their daughter, Erika, was born in 1978.

His love of the outdoors was at its peak living in Montana. Whether it be moonlight skiing, hikes to the Grandmother tree, lake swimming in the summer, or just sitting on his deck gazing at Lolo peak, a day outside was best followed up with an ice cold beer.

Pat loved to celebrate and was always up for a party. He loved a road trip especially in the fall, a last day of school party at Attila's Rock and Friday afternoon whiskey with friends. He often proclaimed that the goal in life was to ‘have fun’! He could be found most days bumping music of all kinds, windows and doors open having a dance party or watching virtually any sport on tv. Pat found great joy watching his grandson Patrick (Mack) excel at hockey and football. He firmly believed that the Masters weekend was the best weekend of sport all year.

In business, Pat was an entrepreneur, a visionary and a mentor. He worked at Steinbrenner Real Estate in his early years where he honed his handball skills and learned that listing tours take all day and require beers. He coached and helped many start their businesses and careers. He could see the "big picture" and distill things into simple steps and solutions. Business meetings could begin with shooting baskets and a personal check-in. Creating and finding "Win-Win" outcomes was central to his business and personal relationships. He was passionate about real estate and development up to the time of his death. One of Pat and Sandy’s most long-standing business ventures was The Women’s Club. For more than 4 decades, Pat ran into women in the community who insisted on telling stories of the wonderful experiences that they had there. He would listen intently and beam with happiness.

Pat believed happiness wasn’t a destination, it was a practice. A dedicated practitioner of Buddhism, he believed that being present was the real gift. Later in life he worked endlessly on his version of teachings and called it "street dharma" practical wisdom for everyday life. He shared it through podcasts and conversations, always asking the kind of questions that made you pause and think.

The most important part of Pat’s life were the people in it. He had a remarkable ability to connect with people from all walks of life. No one was a stranger for long. He was a problem solver, cheerleader, and teacher. If someone was struggling, he didn’t hesitate to step in. Pat truly cared deeply about the people in his life. I know he is sending us Big Love and reminding us to not let the perfect get in the way of the good.

Pat is survived by his beloved daughter Erika, son-in-law Seth, grandson Patrick Macklyn, former wife Sandy, sister Julianne Hughs, godsons Nandi and Dani Kovats, nieces and nephews and a multitude of friends, too many to be named.

Per his wishes there will be no service, just a big ass party. Details to come.

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