Patricia Dugan passed away on Nov. 14

Patricia Wallum Dugan

Conway, SC – Patricia W. Dugan, 84, of Conway, passed away peacefully, following a stroke, on Nov. 14, 2022. Patti was born in Philadelphia to Dr. James and Loretta Pugh in March, 1938. She was later joined by a brother and sister, and she had all of the qualities of a first-born child. Her childhood years were spent in the Philadelphia suburban town of Yeadon, PA. She was an outstanding student, was interested in music and art from an early age. As a teen, Patti became an expert horseback rider, over several years, at a Maryland summer camp. She was fearless in the jumping events while her parents held their breaths. Patti had an aptitude for mathematics and also for explaining complex subjects to others. She was an exemplary student in high school, graduating from the Friends Central School in Wynnewood, PA, where she also excelled on the basketball court. Her college years were spent in Syracuse, NY and subsequently State College, PA, and she graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1960.

She married Harold Wallum in June of that year, and they lived in Arlington, VA, during his service as an attorney (JAG) in the U.S. Navy. Later, she and Harry lived in northern New Jersey, where their two children, Maureen and John, were born and raised. Harry was a corporate attorney, and Patti was a teacher during those years as well as a busy mother and homemaker. She transitioned into work in the health insurance industry, kindling an interest in medicine and healthcare. As her father had been a physician and her mother a nurse, Patti made the decision to pursue a second degree - in the nursing field. She jumped in as a full-time student at age 44 and received her nursing BSN degree from Rutgers University in 1985. She also transitioned during this period to a new marriage, to John Dugan who was in the field of computer marketing. She enjoyed working as a nurse, in several venues of the healthcare field, while she and John lived in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Her children were grown and off into their own life ventures. She enjoyed traveling and studying the history of a multitude of interesting domestic and foreign towns and places with John. They both retired in 1998, relocating to a charming house in the Myrtle Trace community of Conway, SC. John enjoyed his golf and hobbies, and Patti had more time for arts and craft projects. She also volunteered every week as a nurse at a community free clinic in Conway, where she put her medical and teaching skills to work to benefit many of the area's citizens. In retirement, Patti and John enjoyed many more travels and adventures. They were both intellectually curious and students of the wider world.

Patti was predeceased by her first husband Harry and second husband John. She is survived by her daughter Maureen Thomasen (Larry) of New Jersey and son H. John Wallum of Tennessee; granddaughters Chelsea, Jessica, and Cathy Ann Thomasen; brother James E. Pugh, Jr (Faye) of North Carolina and sister Nancy Morith of Maine, as well as nieces and nephews. A family memorial service is planned in the Spring.