Obituary of Patrick J. Terranova

WINTER HAVEN - Patrick James Terranova passed away in the early morning hours on August 29th, 2013 from cancer; he was 87. He left after saying goodbye to his children and to his loving wife Mary Jo, who was there at his side as he fought his last battle. He was heroic to the end. Pat, as he was called, was a veteran of WWII, serving with honor and pride as a tail gunner on a B24 with the US 8th Air Force; he was very proud of that contribution. He was most proud of his 3 children and 4 grandchildren. Adored by his grandchildren, they remember him very fondly as "Papa". He leaves a lasting influence on all of them, being an example of how to live a life with integrity and character. Each took from him different things but in the end they and everyone who knew him remember Pat, Dad and Papa as a wonderful person. The values and caring that we experienced with him will always be with us. He truly found a soul mate in his wife Mary Jo. They found each other late in life and gave each other so much. He will be missed the most by her as they built a wonderful life together, travelling and sharing the joys of family and friends. Pat and Mary Jo are blessed with amazing friends in their community who, with their displays of affection, have shown how much Pat will be missed. His warm and happy spirit had a positive effect on everyone. Pat was an avid reader and history buff, but mostly he was passionate about golf; he and Mary Jo moved to Florida to enjoy the sunshine and year round golf. Pat was a golfer's golfer, enjoying the endless pursuit of perfecting his game. Yet he always had fun and made people smile, even as he trounced a much younger guy during a good round of golf. He played up to the very end. His disease robbed him of the game he loved, which took him from us in only 10 weeks. This was a brief period to say goodbye, but a long journey through the debilitations of cancer, which took his life. He always said he lived a good life and was a lucky guy. He was never sick, was known as the ironman among his golfing buddies, and acknowledged it was a good run. As in life, he died on his terms, at home, with his loving wife at his side. We saw him fade and knew it was time for him to go. It was hard for him in the end and for those he left behind, but knowing God took him to where he was no longer suffering gives us all peace. God, bless him and keep him safe; we rejoice and celebrate a life that was shared with us and are uplifted in the knowledge that there is a new throne occupied in heaven. We love you dad, we love you Papa, we love you Pat. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the local hospital which did so much to help him. Donations can be made in memory of Patrick James Terranova, to the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation. A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 1:30PM at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. Arrangements by Oak Ridge Funeral Care Haines City. Condolences may be sent to oakridgefuneralcare.com.