Patricia Ann (Knapp) DuBrule died on August 12, 2023, from complications resulting from Alzheimer’s disease. She was 91 years old.

Born and brought up in Portland, Pat enjoyed telling friends and acquaintances that she went to
school from kindergarten through college and then got married, all on the same street, Steven’s Avenue. She lost her father, Raymond Knapp, when she was a freshman in high school but still managed
to get a degree from Westbrook Junior College. She spent much of her teen years pursuing her love
of horses. Being raised by her mother, household finances were watched carefully, and Pat had to choose between a new equestrian outfit or a prom dress. She went on to win many dressage competitions looking terrific.

Pat pursued her career as a lab technician from 1952-56 and was known for having the sharpest needles and the strangest car. She was one of the first people in Maine to purchase a VW Bug. She met Paul DuBrule in 1955 and they were married in 1956. A two-year military stint with Paul took her to Virginia, Washington State and California. When Paul returned to civilian life as an oil executive, they packed up their first son and flew 20 hours in a Pan Am prop plane to Paul’s assignment in the Belgian Congo.

There she gave birth to a second son and then was promptly evacuated with the children as civil war raged in the country. Through their 20 years of living “away” Pat took the good with the bad whether they were in new struggling nations or exotic locations like Singapore and Paris. Because work permits were often impossible to acquire, Pat filled her time with learning to fix things including the many odd cars she owned over the years and perfecting her golf and tennis games. She was repeatedly published in the local papers as a tournament winner in every country they lived in.

With Pat and Paul’s enthusiastic embrace of every location they lived in, the children learned to love each new adventure and appreciate the varying cultures they were exposed to. In the mid 1960s they built a summer camp in Bridgton, which became home every summer regardless of the “temporary” home they were in overseas. When Paul retired, they bought various homesteads in Bridgton and wintered in Florida where Pat played a lot of golf and took up trap shooting.

She was predeceased by her father, Raymond Knapp, her mother, Agda Knapp and her brother, Bill Knapp.

She leaves behind her husband, best friend and fellow adventurer, Paul, two sons, Peter and Patrick and their spouses, Patricia and Jessica, and Pat and Paul’s daughter, Pamela Stark and husband, Wallace. She was much beloved by all and had a special relationship with grandchildren, Nathaniel, Kenya, Griffin, Catherine and Courcelle. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

The family wishes to thank Hospice and Pat’s caregivers that worked tirelessly to ensure Pat was comfortable in her last days.

Arrangements are under the care of Chandler Funeral Home, 8 Elm Street, Bridgton. To make an online condolence please visit www.chandlerfunerals.com