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December 29, 2011
Patrick F. Elwood, age 53 of Newton, passed away on Thursday, December 29, 2011.
Born in Paterson, Patrick grew up in Wayne and attended the Wayne schools. For the past fifteen years or so he has been living at the S.C.A.R.C. group home in Newton, NJ. His fellow residents there were like extended family to him and the staff provided him with excellent care.
Ever since he was a young man, Patrick always loved cars and helped his dad with car repairs, tune ups, changing spark plugs and checking fluids. The highlight of his life was the day he received his driver’s license. Finally being able to drive was a tremendous accomplishment for Patrick. Nothing made him happier than a joy ride in the car and he was truly an excellent and cautious driver. On one occasion he may have gotten a little carried away and found himself lost and out of gas in Manasquan, NJ. The police found him and recognized that he had some special needs. Being courteous, they brought him to the station where they contacted his parents. They had hoped that this experience might scare Patrick a little and make him think twice about driving so far from home. But when they arrived at the police station, they found Patrick eating cookies, cake, and drinking tea with the officers. Things turned out just fine in the end, and recalling that story makes everyone laugh.
Patrick’s earliest driving experience was on his Honda Trail 90 dirt bike. He loved to ride down on the ‘cow path’ in Wayne, along the river by Farmingdale Road, and in the sand pit areas in the woods there. He had a few run-ins with the Wayne Police too, while riding his dirt bike, but they were always kind and escorted him home, reminding his parents that he wasn’t supposed to be riding there. He was a special boy, simply having a little fun. Who could deny him that?
Besides cars and driving, his other passions included music and food, and not necessarily in that order. He was always listening to some kind of music and his preferences ranged from soft rock like the Beatles and ABBA, to Country music and even Gospel at times. His favorite foods were mostly Italian dishes, but he had a special appetite for Burger King Whoppers. At the local pizzeria and Dunkin Donuts, they all knew him by name and enjoyed when he would visit. Surely, they will all miss him too.
Over the years, Patrick had several jobs but his favorites were working at the Father John’s Animal Shelter in Sussex, at Sears Hardware in Newton, and he was currently volunteering at Bristol Glen Retirement Facility. At Father John’s he would tend to the cats and clean their cages. He loved cats and working there wasn’t much like work at all for him. He also worked at the Sears Hardware store in Newton for a few years, where he enjoyed the work as much as the staff and customers enjoyed having him there to help.
Patrick is survived by his loving and devoted parents; Francis and Joyce Elwood of Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains, his brothers; Kevin Elwood and his wife Gerry of Edison and Brian Elwood of Wayne, and his nieces Lauren and Alyssa and nephews Steven and Brett. Patrick was predeceased by his brother Keith Elwood of West Orange in 2008;
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Patrick’s memory would be greatly appreciated. Please consider the SCARC Foundation, 11 US Route 206, Suite 100, Augusta, NJ 07822 or visit their website at www.scarc.org. SCARC has been helping those with developmental disabilities since 1957 and helped Patrick enjoy a quality of life that would have been difficult to find anywhere else. His family is grateful for all that SCARC did for Patrick, and all that they continue to do for others with developmental disabilities like him.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
December 29, 2011
Patrick F. Elwood, age 53 of Newton, passed away on Thursday, December 29, 2011.
Born in Paterson, Patrick grew up in Wayne and attended the Wayne schools. For the past fifteen years or so he has been living at the S.C.A.R.C. group home in Newton, NJ. His fellow residents there were like extended family to him and the staff provided him with excellent care.
Ever since he was a young man, Patrick always loved cars and helped his dad with car repairs, tune ups, changing spark plugs and checking fluids. The highlight of his life was the day he received his driver’s license. Finally being able to drive was a tremendous accomplishment for Patrick. Nothing made him happier than a joy ride in the car and he was truly an excellent and cautious driver. On one occasion he may have gotten a little carried away and found himself lost and out of gas in Manasquan, NJ. The police found him and recognized that he had some special needs. Being courteous, they brought him to the station where they contacted his parents. They had hoped that this experience might scare Patrick a little and make him think twice about driving so far from home. But when they arrived at the police station, they found Patrick eating cookies, cake, and drinking tea with the officers. Things turned out just fine in the end, and recalling that story makes everyone laugh.
Patrick’s earliest driving experience was on his Honda Trail 90 dirt bike. He loved to ride down on the ‘cow path’ in Wayne, along the river by Farmingdale Road, and in the sand pit areas in the woods there. He had a few run-ins with the Wayne Police too, while riding his dirt bike, but they were always kind and escorted him home, reminding his parents that he wasn’t supposed to be riding there. He was a special boy, simply having a little fun. Who could deny him that?
Besides cars and driving, his other passions included music and food, and not necessarily in that order. He was always listening to some kind of music and his preferences ranged from soft rock like the Beatles and ABBA, to Country music and even Gospel at times. His favorite foods were mostly Italian dishes, but he had a special appetite for Burger King Whoppers. At the local pizzeria and Dunkin Donuts, they all knew him by name and enjoyed when he would visit. Surely, they will all miss him too.
Over the years, Patrick had several jobs but his favorites were working at the Father John’s Animal Shelter in Sussex, at Sears Hardware in Newton, and he was currently volunteering at Bristol Glen Retirement Facility. At Father John’s he would tend to the cats and clean their cages. He loved cats and working there wasn’t much like work at all for him. He also worked at the Sears Hardware store in Newton for a few years, where he enjoyed the work as much as the staff and customers enjoyed having him there to help.
Patrick is survived by his loving and devoted parents; Francis and Joyce Elwood of Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains, his brothers; Kevin Elwood and his wife Gerry of Edison and Brian Elwood of Wayne, and his nieces Lauren and Alyssa and nephews Steven and Brett. Patrick was predeceased by his brother Keith Elwood of West Orange in 2008;
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Patrick’s memory would be greatly appreciated. Please consider the SCARC Foundation, 11 US Route 206, Suite 100, Augusta, NJ 07822 or visit their website at www.scarc.org. SCARC has been helping those with developmental disabilities since 1957 and helped Patrick enjoy a quality of life that would have been difficult to find anywhere else. His family is grateful for all that SCARC did for Patrick, and all that they continue to do for others with developmental disabilities like him.
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