Patrick E. “Pat” Mahany – 88 – Poags Hole Rd., Arkport, died early Thursday morning (July 24, 2014) after living a long and full life.

Born in Easton, ME on August 6, 1925, he was the son of Eldon & Delia (Long) Mahany.

Pat grew up in Easton, ME where he graduated from Easton High School in 1943 with “honors.”  He was a veteran of WWII, serving in the US Army.  While in the army, Pat was stationed in France, Luxemburg, and Belgium and was a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal along with numerous other medals.  His dedication for his country and fellow patriots continued to run deep through his veins his entire life.

Moving to the Arkport area in 1947, Pat established Patrick E. Mahany & Sons, Inc., a potato and grain farm located in Arkport.  He, along with his sons, operated the business until his “retirement” in 1981.  Since 1996, he has been instrumental in the day to day operation of Sun Valley Campsites in Arkport (near Canaseraga).  Since 1983, Pat has spent the winter months in Florida with his daughter, Michelle.  While in Florida, he gave a valiant attempt to golf and play tennis – “not his cup of tea.”

Pat was a member of the Arkport American Legion for 66 years, a former member of the Hornell Knights of Columbus, and a member of National Infantry Association.  In the mid 1970s, he served on the Board of Education of the Arkport Central School.

Pat was a lifelong horseman.  As a boy, he worked with horses daily to travel and work his family farm in Maine.  Pat enjoyed riding horses and was a member of the Belle Hollow Hunt Club and was “acting as Master of the Hunt.”  Throughout the years, he also raised and owned several very successful race horses, both in harness and thoroughbred racing.  Pat took pride in his ability to raise most of these horses from foals.

Pat was also an avid snow skier.  He not only skied locally, but also traveled to places such as Colorado, Maine, Vermont, and Canada to ski with close friends and family.  He enjoyed a nice warm cup of hot buttered rum and chili that his wife, Phyllis, would make for him to keep warm.  He never wore anything other than his cowboy hat while skiing, so he needed all the help he could to keep warm.  He was an active skier until he was 82 years young!

He was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church.  In recent years, he was a member of St. Mary’s Church in Canaseraga.

Pat was married on November 26, 1947 to the former Phyllis Millard who died in 2002.  He was also preceded in death by his son, Timothy Mahany who died May 8, 2014, his grandson Anthony “Tony” Mahany who died in 1999, his brothers Vincent Mahany and Joseph Mahany.

Surviving are three sons, Patrick (Karen) Mahany, Jr. of Siverthorne, CO; Sean (Nancy) Mahany of Scottsdale, AZ; and Kevin (Christine) Mahany of Arkport; daughter Michelle (Alan) Eddison of Stuart, FL; 1 brother, Murray (Reba) Mahany of Arkport; 2 sisters, Gertrude Thompson of Seattle, WA, and Sr. Joyce Mahany of Standish, ME; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

The family of Patrick E. “Pat” Mahany will receive friends on Sunday (today) from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church Street, Hornell, NY.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 10:00 AM at St. Ann’s Church with Father John Cullen officiating.  Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery with full military honors.

Pat’s family requests that memorial contributions in his name be made to the Arkport American Legion, West Ave., Arkport NY 14807.  Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home or click here to print a form.

In recognition of Pat’s service to his country during WWII, the American Flag at the Dagon Funeral Home will be flown at half-staff.