Patsyann Maitland Gentsch, better known as Patsy, died Friday, August 7, 2015 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, with her son, James Stewart Gentsch, and husband, Charles Stewart Gentsch, at her side. She was 76.
Patsy was a lifelong visitor to Martha’s Vineyard and 20-year resident of Englewood, Florida. She fought a long, hard, courageous battle with cancer; her third bout with cancer spanning 30 years. This final battle with it lasted 30 months.
She was born in 1938 in Grand Junction Colorado to Marion (McQuade) Maitland and Peter McGregor (Greg) Maitland, of Clinton, Mass., while then Col. Greg Maitland was on Army assignment in Colorado. She had two sisters, Elaine Maitland Kelly of Bakersfield, California, and Jane Maitland Burgoyne (deceased), and a brother, Peter Maitland (deceased).
At a young age, Patsy moved with her family to Clinton and visited relatives in Oak Bluffs every summer. She met her husband-to-be in Oak Bluffs, 70 years ago in Pennacook Park. She was a good student and high school cheerleader in Clinton, where she made many lifelong friends.
In her high school years her parents moved to Oak Bluffs. She graduated from Oak Bluffs high school, where she again was a cheerleader and friend to all. She went on to graduate from Fitchburg State teachers college.
She worked summers at Brickman’s in Vineyard Haven and the Boston House Restaurant on Circuit Ave. The restaurant job ended when she and boyfriend Stewart were becalmed while sailing and she was late for work.
Her first teaching job was in Cromwell, Conn., where she arrived in a yellow 1960 Corvair. Later, she taught and substituted in Enfield, Conn., Longmeadow, and on Martha’s Vineyard. Although she loved teaching, her favorite job was doing market research for Milton Bradley. She tested all new games with focus groups. That was heaven for an avid game player like Patsy. All of the jobs she had, had to have one condition — that she would have her summers off to be on Martha’s Vineyard. She did not miss one summer on the Vineyard that anyone can recall. In fact, there were years that she did not return to her mainland home until after Thanksgiving. While on the Island she loved the tennis at East Chop Tennis Club up until 10 years ago, in addition to boating and going to the beach with her beach group on State Beach. The cancer may have changed her boat and beach routines, but she still had to be at the Vineyard when the warm weather arrived. She spent her final days at home in Oak Bluffs on her favorite covered sun deck.
She was an active member of Community Presbyterian Church in Englewood, Fla. She taught the STAIR reading program in that church for many years. She also was an affiliate member of The Federated Church of Edgartown for at least 20 years. She was well known in Oak Bluffs and Englewood for her warm smile and engaging personality. Always upbeat and excited by what was happening, even when the cancer was restricting her activities she hardly ever mentioned it. She viewed the Cancer Trial in Orlando, 155 miles from her home in Englewood, as an opportunity to get to see the rest of Orlando beyond Disney. On each trip to Orlando she and her husband explored a new section of the Orlando area and really enjoyed the beautiful suburbs of the area.
Patsy is survived by Charles Stewart (Stew) Gentsch, her husband of 54 years, son James S. Gentsch of Bradenton, Fla., his wife, Tiffani, and daughter, Abby, also by sister Elaine Maitland Kelly, and her husband, Judge John I. Kelly of Bakersfield, Calif., and by many nephews, nieces, cousins.
Patsy loved everyone and everyone loved her. Her smile and warm greetings were contagious and will be dearly missed by all.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015 at 11 am at The Federated Church, 45 South Summer St., Edgartown. Interment will be in the family plot, attended by family and a few close friends at Oak Bluffs Cemetery at a later time.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1748, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs MA 02557, The Federated Church P.O. Box 249, Edgartown MA 02539, or a charity of your choice.