Pat Maher

Lifetime membership presented to Pat Maher by President Bob Quinn March 2005

In 1998, she was inducted in the Bathurst Sports Hall of Fame.

Pat started curling in 1959, over 45 years ago. Not bad for someone that was introduced to the sport by a friend.

Her first taste at success was in 1970 when she won the ladies amateur provincial title as a second stone. She then competed at the Scott Tournament of Hearts. This was to be the biggest highlight of her career. She would have this same experience in 1971, 1976, 1979 & 1988. She most recently met up with a few past friends and team mates (from the Scott’s) Ilona Schnarr & Karen MacDermott, of hers during the Provincial Senior’s Preliminary.

Pat has met a wide range of people across this province and country. “I really enjoyed to curl and the fellowship that was connected to curling” she said. “Over the years, as you travel about, you’re always glad to see the same people again. It makes for a small world when you have been in sports.” Although Pat has never won a National title, she recalls her teams motto: “if we didn’t play well, we dressed well.”

I have known Pat for only 4 years but was quick to see why they all called her “Mother Maher”. She was always quick to give you a lesson on curling, express her opinion and has been known to make a mean soup upstairs in the her kitchen. She has put in many years in this club, whether it being curling or as a volunteer in many positions and most recently as kitchen coordinator. Her pet peeve would be “don’t throw that out, I could feed a family with that”.

Her involvement with organizing special events, suppers, curling clinics are but a few on a long list of services rendered by her during the years of dedication to the survival of this club. Christmas, Valentine’s day, St-Patty’s day were never left unnoticed with her many decorations and Charlie Brown Xmas tree.

Tonight, I would like to honor Pat Maher for all her years as an avid curler, a fierce competitor and a true volunteer, with the curling club always in mind. I did not come to this without a little help from many of her friends and co-curlers. I could not agree more that there is no other person more deserving.