Patricia A. Aycox

Patricia Ann (Boncher) Aycox, 82, passed away on July 8, 2024, following a brief illness. An amazing person, Pat was the embodiment of love, kindness and acceptance. Anyone who had the privilege of knowing her was a better person for it. 

The daughter of the late Leo and Cecilia Boncher, she grew up in Holly, Michigan with her parents, sister, brother and treasured grandparents, Babka and Pop, riding horses and working hard. Pat’s talent for singing was recognized at an early age and this talent became a defining part of who she was.

In a bold move for the times, Pat left Michigan after high school to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Music Education at Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York. She met her first husband, Richard (Dick) Osterlitz, while visiting Schenectady. Pat raised three children with Dick until his passing at age 42. While teaching music at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Pat met her second husband Julius (Skip) Aycox. They were married in 1985 and blended their families in true Brady Bunch style – three children each. Pat embraced parenthood and was the kind of mother that all children should have: loving, kind, and supportive.

Pat loved her career as a music teacher and positively affected many children’s lives. In addition to being a music teacher in the Schenectady City School District, Pat was the Program Director for the District’s Gifted and Talented Program for several years. In this role, she led students in Odyssey of the Mind competitions, reaching the State competition twice. Pat was a trailblazer in music education and was an early adopter of using technology in the classroom. Students always looked forward to music class with Mrs. Aycox.

Pat also enjoyed a storied singing career, always striving to improve her craft. She sang at many weddings, at Congregation Beth Emeth for the Jewish High Holy Days, and at various events in the Capital District and beyond. She also sang with many groups, including the Glimmerglass Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC, Albany Pro Musica, Summer Stock at Spa Theatre and her beloved Octavo Singers of Schenectady.

A fervent supporter of the arts, Pat devoted many hours to the Hamilton Hill Arts Center, serving on the Board of Directors for many years. She loved to travel and took many trips throughout her lifetime. A once-in-a-lifetime trip to Antartica with Skip holds a special place in Pat’s heart, as do visits to the Czech Republic and Northern Virginia to see children and grandchildren. 

A caregiver her entire adult life, Pat selflessly cared for those in her family who needed her help, including her first husband Dick; her father-in-law, Lorenz Osterlitz; her mother-in-law, Carrie Nell Miller; and her cherished husband Skip. 

Pat was predeceased by her first husband, Richard Allen Osterlitz; her parents; her in-laws; and her step-daughter, Laurin Michele Aycox. 

She is survived by her husband, Skip Aycox; her children and step-children: Jon Osterlitz, Kristen (David) DeSalvatore, Kurt Osterlitz, Karin (David) Welling and Christopher (Klara) Aycox; sixteen grandchildren: Ian (Lindsey) Osterlitz, Shane Osterlitz, Nathan DeSalvatore, Daniel DeSalvatore, Morghan DeSalvatore, Peyton Osterlitz, Grady Osterlitz, Emma Welling, Samuel Welling, Radim Kuc, David Kuc, Laura Aycox, Oliver Aycox, Gabriela Aycox, Theresa Almeida and Katelyn Almeida; great granddaughter, Becket Osterlitz; her siblings, Frederick (Marilou) Boncher and Cynthia (Randy) VanIttersum; her niece Lisa (Raymond Lipani) Perrone-Almeida; and many other nieces and nephews. Above all else, family was everything to Pat.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Glendale Nursing Home, 59 Hetcheltown Road, Glenville, New York 12302. Family and friends are invited to stop by between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. to remember and celebrate Pat. She was adamant that she be celebrated, not mourned. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hamilton Hill Arts Center.