Pat Parlette's Careers and Other Activities

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Pat attended Darien CT High School, where she was the first girl drum major they had ever had. When she graduated, she won a scholarship from the Darien Community Association Thrift Shop. More than half a century later, Pat still gives back by volunteering at the DCA Thrift Shop, the proceeds of which go toward education.

Pat trained to become a nurse at Greenwich Hospital. For part of her training, she was a student nurse at Yale where she learned special care for polio victims living in iron lungs. After graduation, she got a job at the Tripler Military Hospital in Hawaii caring for polio patients.

When Pat was hired by Seaboard, the military required the presence of a Registered Nurse on passenger flights. On those flights, Pat and the other Flight Attendants who were nurses wore their nurses' uniforms. Her airline career lasted for 38 years.

In addition, Pat continued her nursing career throughout that period, often caring for patients requiring critical care. She is still involved in nursing to this day, including hospice care. In addition to the thrift shop, Pat volunteers at the Darien Book Aid and the New Covenant House. In 2006, Pat was twice featured in articles in the Darien Times.

As if all of this were not enough to keep her busy, in 2006, Pat traveled to both Yellowstone National Park and China; where she walked on the Great Wall barely six months after having a hip replaced! A few years ago, Pat went for rides in George Jacoban's home-built airplane, and in a sailplane with George.

In November, 2006, Pat traveled to Frankfurt and visited the Baseler Eck.

Quite a life.

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