Pat Carney

Patrick James Carney, 54, passed away on November 22, 2010, after a courageous six-week battle with glioblastoma multiforme.

Pat was born on September 17, 1956, in Minneapolis, Minn. He grew up on a farm with his mom and dad and was the youngest of nine siblings. He graduated from Richfield High School in Richfield, Minn., where he was a standout performer for both his high school baseball team and for the American Legion, including the 1973 team that played in the American Legion World Series.

He married Cindy on May 21, 1982. Five years later they were blessed with their twins, Brooke and Travis.

In 1994 the family moved to Overland Park, Kan., where Pat became a proud business owner. After owning a software company, a media company, a bar and apartments, he decided in 2008 that it was time to pursue his dream and purchase the Fort Scott Golf Course and Country Club in Fort Scott, Kan. That is where he and his son worked hand in hand to rebuild the historic establishment.

Pat had a passion for golfing, fishing and baseball. He was very active in his children’s lives and spent years coaching his son’s competitive baseball team. He always made sure that he was their biggest fan. He was a hard worker and often worked too hard to make sure that his wife and kids were well provided for.

After a weekend of golfing with his brothers, he began to complain about severe headaches and loss of memory. On October 11, 2010, he was diagnosed with GBM on his left temporal lobe. Friends and family were able to enjoy his company at his and his wife’s lake home the weekend before he was to undergo surgery. The morning of the surgery, he awoke with severe head pain, unable to walk or talk. His wife and children rushed him to the emergency room, where they learned that he had suffered from a brain hemorrhage, making the tumor inoperable. Doctors predicted that he would have only 24 to 48 more hours with them.

Being the fighter he was, Pat outlived the doctors’ approximations. Nurses believed that he was holding on for his first grandchild, who was born on October 25. Despite paralysis on the right side of his body, he was able to hold his grandson during the first week of life. Pat’s health condition then took a rapid decline. Throughout Pat’s traumatic journey and unexpected prognosis, he was able to amaze everyone with his humor and strength.

He was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, son and brother. He was a warrior. He remains a hero.