Obituary: Patricia Mercaitis, Retired Professor of Communication Disorders

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Patricia A. Mercaitis, 68, of Brewster, a retired associate professor of speech language pathology, died Sept. 7.

Born Feb. 2, 1950, she graduated from Boston College in 1971 and earned her doctorate at UMass Amherst 1983.

While a graduate student here, she was a teaching assistant in communication disorders, psychology and public health.

She joined the department of communication disorders in 1983 and retired in 2014.

She was the widow of Daniel Fajardo. She is survived by daughters Sarah Fajardo (Kris Graves), and Jessica Fajardo; brother Paul A. Mercaitis (Suzanne); sisters Paula McGrath (James) and Frances Brouillette; sister-in-law Monica Fajardo (Coleen Hunt); and brother-in-law Ray Fajardo (Chris).

A funeral Mass will be held on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc Church in Orleans. There will also be a gathering to celebrate her life in Amherst in October.