Patricia was a warrior. Once she found out she had stage four lung cancer, she began fighting. She never complained and was always optimistic. As typical of how she lived her life, she never gave up. She fought for almost 10 months, although it was time for her to leave us and become the angel that looks down from heaven on all of us. She passed away peacefully at Hospice of the Valley just after sunset on Friday, February 20th.
Patricia's life was one of service to others. She had a huge heart and would always be the first to take others to the doctor, to the hairdresser, help with groceries or whatever they needed. She was a member of the Red Hats and also enjoyed bible study and church groups. She began to enjoy life on her own and blossomed, making many new friends and joining the Elks Club for socializing and dancing. Patricia was one of those very special people who when you met her, you'd immediately like her. She'd put you at ease and her love of life, selflessness and joyfulness were evident.
Patricia was an incredible cook and an amazing baker. She enjoyed cooking meals for family and friends and her homemade pies, cookies, cakes and candies were loved by all.
Patricia's grandchildren meant the world to her. She especially loved attending their basketball games and volleyball matches as well as their important life events. She loved her role as "Grammie" and her grandchildren will miss her dearly.
Patricia had a life filled with love, and she filled our lives with love. We are all very blessed to have had her in our lives.
During the months preceding the hurricane, she had been corresponding with a Navy chief supply officer, Don Derryberry, through the pen pal program. She sent him a letter telling him she was taking her three children and heading back to Boston to live with her sister, Marion, since her home had been destroyed. Before she left for Boston with Uncle Frank Callan, Don Derryberry arrived in town and proposed. The two drove to Alabama and were married. The next day, they packed their cars and the kids and headed to Bakersfield, CA, to start a new life.
The family lived in Bakersfield for two years before moving to Phoenix, AZ. Patricia and Don had one son together, Kevin Michael Derryberry, now living in Phoenix, AZ. Don had two sons from a prior marriage, Pat Derryberry and Michael Derryberry, both of whom are still living in Bakersfield, CA.
At 18, she met Robert Francis Fabiano, fell in love and got married. They had three children together. The first born was Mark Anthony Fabiano now living in Gulfport, MS. The second born was her only daughter Donna Lisa Fabiano-Lucchesi, now living in the San Francisco, CA, area and the last born to this marriage was Brian Robert Fabiano of Scottsdale, AZ.
Robert left the marriage after 12 years and to his own admissions to his children and Patricia later in his life, "made the biggest mistake of my life when I left Patricia, the most wonderful wife, my two children and a baby just three months old."
Patricia spent her single mother years working as a receptionist at the local Air Force Base and for NASA. In 1969, Hurricane Camille hit the Biloxi area and her home was completely destroyed. She was planning to go back to Boston. Uncle Frank Callan had come down to Biloxi to take Patsy and her children to recover from the hurricane destruction to Boston.
Patricia Ann Cabral was born to Margaret Tasha and Antone Cabral, a Portuguese fisherman, on November 8, 1936. Her mother passed away from tuberculosis when Patricia was just five years old. She and her brothers were then raised by her older sister Marion Cabral- Callen and Frank Callan, a lifelong teamster truck driver. Her father was out to sea for months at a time and they stepped up to create the family environment she and her brothers did not have. Patsy also has two brothers; an older brother, Richard Cabral, who is deceased and a younger brother Robert Cabral living in Plymouth, MA.
