Obituary of Priscilla Rising

Priscilla Alden Rising, b. Nov. 28, 1922, in Athol, MA, to Fredrick Albert and Olive Humphrey Nelson, went peacefully to be with our Lord Jesus Christ, on Jul. 10, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado. Pat will be remembered by her family as a wonderful, loving, compassionate, and a very practical wife, mother, and friend. There will be a private family gathering at her son’s home in Boulder to remember and celebrate her long and abundant life. Priscilla (Pat, as everyone called her), received exceptional secretarial training at Athol High School, which propelled her to employment at the National Industrial Board in New York City during WWII. Pat had an enthusiastic personality. She was spontaneously creative and was a very talented individual. Pat loved couples dancing. While in NYC, Pat spent her Monday evenings dancing and providing dance lessons for soldiers home on leave at the Chase Bank USO. She often remembered that exciting and flirtatious time (in her words) and the picture taken of her dancing at the USO, which was published in the American Journal of Dancing. In 1947, Pat married a decorated Marine from Orange, MA, John Fredrick Rising (Jack). For several years they worked and lived in the New England area (Orange and North Hampton, MA), Middletown NY, and Hampton Bays, Long Island, NY, before finally settling in the lovely South Shore coastal town of East Moriches, Long Island, NY, to raise their family, in 1957. In East Moriches, Pat, began her 27 year long and very successful professional career as executive secretary to the elected Suffolk County Chief Clerk of the Courts, in Riverhead, NY. Pat soon was elected President of her National Secretaries Association chapter. She actively supported and enthusiastically participated in many professional organizations and community activities throughout her career. Pat enjoyed the water and sun at The Swordfish Beach Club, located in West Hampton Beach, Long Island. Pat was always active in her church and loved to sing in the choir and the Sweet Adeline’s. She sang with her family, especially her children, both privately and publicly, throughout her life, which they continue to do to this day. Often, she drove from VA to NYC to sing with Christine at popular NY cabarets. Pat was dedicated to her family and their wellbeing. She offered advice, direction, and practical support when needed. Pat was also an artist in her spare time. She took professional oil painting lessons while in Hampton Bays, and continued to paint beautiful rural landscapes for the remainder of her life. She won several Art League awards for her paintings and sold several paintings locally. Pat retired in 1983 and, with her husband Jack, and moved to Danville, VA, in 1985. While in Danville, Pat remained very active in her church and managed to travel often with her friends and family to vacation spots on the Atlantic coast, California, Colorado, including many trips to Florida. Together, Pat and Jack enjoyed nearly 25 years of blissful retirement, before moving to Boulder, Colorado, in 2009, to live with their son and his wife. Pat’s husband of 63 years, John, passed away on Jan. 18, 2010. John is remembered with a headstone in Winchendon, MA, Military Cemetery. Pat, then, spent the next 12 years living with her son and family, in Boulder, Colorado, surrounded by her family, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who all live in Colorado. Pat is survived by her son, John Ronald Rising, daughter-in-law, Sharon, and daughter, Christine Heather Rising (living in New York City), 3 grandchildren, Laura, Rachele, and Chris, and 8 great-grandchildren.