Pat Fraker made her family a priority as she and her US Marine husband moved around the country with their four children, making their roots in Amityville for 37 years. Once grandchildren became the center of Mrs. Fraker’s life, the new generation could depend on her just as well, having never had a babysitter other than their grandmother.

"Whatever we did, is what she did," said her daughter Dee Fraker of Massapequa. "She was always wherever we needed her. Her life truly revolved around her family."

It is the fact that Mrs. Fraker was so present in their daily lives that will make her absence most noticeable, said her daughter.

Patricia A. Fraker died September 19, 2003 at Good Samaritan Hospital after fighting illness for a brief while. She was 72.

"She was the most wonderful grandmother," said her daughter Connie Albers of Babylon. "Losing her is a big void for them, they loved her and respected her immensely,’ she said.

For the last seven years, Mrs. Fraker lived in Babylon with her youngest daughter Connie, her husband Don and their children, having moved there following the death of her husband Adrian (Slim) of 36 years.

Born in Morristown, NJ, September 1, 1931 to Herbert and Mary Sheehan Dennerlein, Mrs. Fraker was raised in Brooklyn. She married her husband in May of 1955 and they moved to Amityville in 1966 where they raised their children and Mrs. Fraker worked for McClellan’s, the five and dime on Route 110, said her daughter.

Also, Mrs. Fraker was a member of St. Martin of Tours R.C. Church of Amityville and a charter member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Amityville Fire Department.

"Amityville was always our staple even though we were transferred around a lot because my father was a Marine," said Dee Fraker.

"We used to stop in to see our mom at the five and dime on our way home from school," Fraker said with a smile audible in her voice.

Every February for the last five years, Mrs. Fraker joined her children and grandchildren on skiing trips, which were very special to them all, said Fraker.

"She wouldn’t ski, but every evening when we’d come back she had dinner all ready and hot cocoa for the children. It was important to her that all of us were together," Fraker said.

Mrs. Fraker is survived by her children Michael Fraker and his wife Dorothy of Pine Grove, PA; Patti Van Horn and her husband Peter of Islip; Dee Fraker and her husband Gerry Stanbrough of Massapequa; and Connie Albers and her husband Don of Babylon. Four grandchildren, Richard, Danielle, Benjamin and Elizabeth also survive Mrs. Fraker in addition to her brother Vaughn Dennerlein of New Mexico, sister Mary Murphy of Washington, and brother Dennis Dennerlein of Manhasset.

Mrs. Fraker reposed at Powell Funeral Home, Amityville on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20 and 21. Father Richard Stelter of St. Martin of Tours R.C. Church conducted a prayer service on Sunday, September 21 in the afternoon with an evening service conducted by the Amityville Fire Department. Father Stelter celebrated a funeral mass Monday Sept. 22 at St. Martin of Tours. Interment is at Calverton National Cemetery.

Donations in Mrs. Fraker’s name can be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Suffolk County Inc., 100-1 Patco Court, Islandia, NY 11749.