Patricia A. (Kazanowski) Boffa, doting mother and grandmother and a Bedford resident for nearly 55 years, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Feb. 3, after a short illness. She was 81.

Known as "Pat" to her friends, "Mimi" to her granddaughters, and "Mrs. Boffa" to the hundreds of students she taught, Patricia was born and raised in Somerville, Massachusetts, the daughter of the late Edward and Mary E. (Young) Kazanowski. She was a 1961 graduate of Matignon High School in Cambridge and a 1965 graduate of Emmanuel College, earning her degree in sociology.

After college, Patricia began her career as a social worker in Roxbury, for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was at this job that she met and began dating her coworker, Richard Boffa. They married in May 1969.

In 1970, Patricia and Richard moved to Bedford, where they raised their children, Anne, Katherine, and David. Throughout her life, Patricia was deeply dedicated to her family and played an active role in her children's upbringing. She spent many hours shuttling her children to play with friends, to social events and to their many school-related activities. She cheered on her eldest daughter Anne during swim meets, Katherine playing softball, and David on the baseball field.

Patricia was known for her sharp wit, her love of fun, and for the spontaneous adventures she created, never afraid to drive many miles to find exactly what she wanted or the perfect gift to give. After growing up with four brothers and sisters, she enjoyed the chaos of a small, but busy household. She made her own home in Bedford a warm and welcoming place full of friends and neighbors who would stop by after school for a cup of tea and an afternoon chat or to spread cheer during the holidays. She enjoyed getting together and celebrating family birthdays — except her own.

Patricia delighted in creating holiday-themed treats to share with family and friends, even well after her children had grown.  Her mini, strawberry cupcakes were a favorite delivery on Valentine's Day. She loved Christmas and enjoyed her family's annual tradition of attending the Boston Pops holiday concert with her lifelong friends, the Dennings. Each year, the holiday season culminated in a legendary celebration Patricia hosted for family and friends on Christmas Eve, that often ended well after midnight.

As her children grew, Patricia returned to work at Arlington Heights Nursery School as an educator, where she spent many happy years nurturing children and preparing them for elementary school. Later, she was a teacher at Roxbury Weston Preschool. She loved taking family trips to Virginia, Cape Cod, and in recent years, to York Beach, Maine. She was a longtime member of St. Michael Parish in Bedford, where she ran the First Eucharist program for several years while her children were young and where she was a Eucharistic Minister.

Patricia leaves behind her loving husband of over 55 years, Richard, her three children, Anne Boffa of Reading; Katherine McGovern and her husband James of West Roxbury; and David Boffa and his wife Megan of Wellesley; her two granddaughters, Olivia and Lindsay Boffa; her sisters, Louise Ruggiero (Richard) of Natick; and Eileen Kazanowski of Burlington; and her sister-in-law Cathy Kazanowski of Alexandria, Virginia. She was predeceased by her brothers, Edward Kazanowski and John Kazanowski and his wife Abigail Senkler.  Also predeceased by her sister-in-law, Corrine (Roy) Fleischer.

Visitation will be held at the Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Road Bedford, Mass. on  Tuesday, February 11 from 4 p.m.- 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Michael Parish, 90 Concord Road, Bedford, Mass. on Wednesday, February 12, at 10 a.m. Interment will follow at Shawsheen Cemetery in Bedford.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Cradles to Crayons, Inc., P.O. Box 411310, Boston, MA 02241-1310 or https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston/donate-now/