Patricia V. Richie, the former longtime dean of Business, Trades and Public Safety programs, at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, Florida, died on August 24. She had retired from the college in Janauary after 27 years of service.
Richie, a native of Baltimore, worked for eight years at Dundalk Community College in Maryland as director of business and contracted services and later director of community services. She began working at then Palm Beach Community College in 1994 as director of continuing studies and was promoted three years later to dean of Career and Technical Education, becoming the college’s first African American female dean.
Her role widened in 2003 when she was named the first dean of workforce development, as the college opened its 150,000-square-foot Education and Training Center, which houses many of the roughly 60 programs she oversaw.
“Pat Richie was the quintessential professional and colleague. She was a hard worker who always strived to do everything with excellence and integrity. She was passionate about her work and about ensuring that we were meeting the workforce needs of the community,’’ said Thomas Gauthier, associate dean of Trade and Industry at Palm Beach State College
Richie held a bachelor’s degree in adult and continuing education from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Maryland.
Our dearly beloved Soror and colleague will be missed from our midst. I pray that the family will find solace and strength amongst each other.
In Jesus Name ~