Patricia Ann Aulicino (née Bercow), 83, departed this world unexpectedly on March 22, 2026.
Born April 14, 1942 in Wilmington, De., she was raised in Sparta. Pat attended Sparta public school, Newton High School and, in 1979, earned her LPN from Sussex County Technical School. She is survived by her partner, William P. McCarthy, sons, Kenneth M. Aulicino (Mary Jane) and Jeffrey D. Aulicino (Angela), grandchildren Amanda, Shelby, Anthony, and Ava Aulicino. She was delighted to meet her first great-granddaughter, Jaclyn, born in July 2024. Pat was predeceased by her parents, Lester D. and Lauretta M. Bercow, and her son John R. Aulicino (Buskorn).
Pat filled each day with purpose, working as a full-time nurse for nearly 48 years. She served in emergency rooms, hospital pediatric departments, orthopedic practices, and had been working in primary care with Skylands Medical Group in Landing, N.J., for 25 years. Friends, colleagues, and patients will remember her vibrant spirit and open nature; nursing was her true calling. As her office recalled, “she was the best nurse and made sure everyone knew it.” Pat was a force to be reckoned with, but was also so full of love she left an impact on each life she touched. We will never know how many patients and their families were helped and comforted by her presence.
Pat loved to crochet and made countless baby blankets, booties, and sweaters over the years to help others celebrate the welcoming of new life. Her knack for detail-oriented hobbies also took on the form of elaborate, handmade dollhouses but, always the contradiction, she also enjoyed relaxing by watching action movies. Her humor was infectious - she made up games at the dinner table, shouted incorrect answers during Jeopardy!, told punny jokes, and sang off-color songs on car trips.
Pat was a friend to the animals. Throughout her life, she owned and cared for many pets, showing favoritism toward German Shepherds. She loved the beach and collecting seashells, spending the summers of young motherhood bringing her sons to Lake Iliff and camping at the New Jersey shore. She went on to live in Sanibel, Fla., having grand adventures with friends and enjoying living year round at the beach.
In 1998, she moved back to Lake Iliff, Andover, and built a home where she lived with her loving partner of 30 years, Bill. Together, they traveled to many destinations along the east coast, from Maine to Washington, D.C., with many vacations to Lavallette and Atlantic City. She generously shared her space during holidays, chicken cacciatore dinners, and for periods in family and friends’ times of need. A dedicated matriarch, her family stretches wide to include the close network of friends of all ages that she cultivated in her lifetime. She will be dearly missed by many.
A memorial visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, at Goble Funeral Home in Sparta with a service at 3:30 p.m.