Mom passed away peacefully on the morning of Wednesday March 11th, 2020 in her room at Pennswood Village in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Patricia had resided there since 2014, after selling her lovely home in Frenchtown, New Jersey. The Frenchtown home was the culmination of years of searching for a perfect home to replace her house in Peapack across from the pond with the swans. Everyone will remember the wonderful food and hospitality that Mom always provided. Patricia was born July 15, 1937 in Jersey City, New Jersey. She was the oldest daughter of Sophia Lisznianska and William Patrick Griffith. She is survived by her sister, Maureen Griffith Fagan, her four children and five grandchildren: Lori Ann Merritt; Richard William Merritt; James Howard Merritt and his wife Kathleen, their children Brian James Merritt and Aine Josephine Merritt, Jeanne Merritt Hertrich and her husband Greg Hertrich and their three children, Anna Sophia Hertrich, Frederick Mason Hertrich and Rhiannon Marcella Hertrich. Patricia was raised in Jersey City before moving to Bergenfield, New Jersey. She graduated from Bergenfield High School in June of 1955 and was most proud of her introduction of Voting Booths during student elections. Patricia married Richard Howard Merritt on September 3, 1955. She gave birth to Lori on August 30, 1956. The family moved to Wyoming and then New Hampshire, where they met lifelong friends Jean and John Cowan. After moving to New Brunswick, New Jersey she gave birth to Richard William (Bill). They lived in the Phelps House, the first cooperative living house on Rutgers Campus and served as the house parents. In 1962, they moved to Bridgewater, N.J. and she gave birth to James Howard (Jim) in June of that year. Jeanne arrived in October of 1965. Patricia went back to school at Somerset County College, graduated with an Associates Degree and then attended Rutgers College where she received her Bachelor of Arts. Patricia was instrumental in starting the Division of Women at S.C.C. - a program that supported women going back to college. She then went on to work in Trenton for the state in a similar role, eventually working for the Department of Aging, and in the Office of Management and Budget. She was instrumental in Farmland preservation and in rewriting the fire code for the state of New Jersey. After her retirement, Patricia worked on creating a beautiful garden in her yard in Frenchtown, traveling, attending the theater, ballet and opera with her "culture posse" and spending time with her family and grandchildren. She was always up for a good fight and had many causes, one of which was the banning of tractor trailers from driving through the small town of Frenchtown. She loved to sail and travel. Mom will be missed and remembered every day by those who knew and loved her. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 10am at the Holy Trinity Church 60 Maple Street, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. Committal is private.