Patrice Conwell Haines

November 10, 1925 - December 12, 2017
Patrice Conwell Haines


Share this obituary:

 

Patrice Conwell “Trish” Haines passed away on December 12, 2017 in Wilmington NC after a hard-fought battle with cancer. She was 92.

Trish was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Innes Correll “Jack” Haines, and her son, Alexander Conwell Haines. Surviving are her sister and brother-in-law, Penny and Van Schwab of Parkville MD, as well as her daughters Leslie Haines of Burlington and Stephanie Craig of Charlotte.  She is also survived by two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A native of Baltimore Maryland, Trish spent her married life in Fayetteville, NC and moved to Wilmington in 1973. Although trained as a French teacher, she found a career with the Employment Security Commission, where she worked as an interviewer. Trish had an active retirement, volunteering at both New Hanover Hospital and the International Seamen’s Center. Trish was a member of the congregation of St. Andrews on the Sound.  In addition, Trish traveled a great deal, especially in her beloved France. When at home, Trish enjoyed spoiling a succession of beloved dogs and cats.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the New Hanover Humane Society.

Please share memories and condolences with the family by clicking on the ” Post a Condolence ” tab below.

Wilmington Funeral & Cremation, 1535 S. 41st Street, Wilmington NC 28403. 910.791.9099


Purchase Flowers

Tribute Wall

Please feel free to sign the guestbook or share a memory



Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • December 14, 2017
    Diana Van Fossen says:
    During childhood summers Aunt Pat and Uncle Jack invited us to visit our cousins Stephanie and Leslie at their wonderful home in North Carolina. It was the farthest South we’d ever been and had a lake stocked with fish with a platform to dive off. We had many adventures. Pat introduced us to Southern cooking. Otherwise I’d never have known what a hush puppie was! Our mother Penny was so proud of her bright and dramatic younger sister, Trish. We heard many stories of her triumphs as a reader and skill in French. She had a rich, deep stage voice that I will never forget.

  • December 14, 2017
    Peter Schwab says:
    Aunt Pat recognized my interest in our family history early on and gave me a family heirloom that she in like manner had inherited from her uncle, Francis Noel Smith. It was a James Peale portrait of our ancestor John Elder Gist (with his hair piece on the back side of the portrait). That gift inspired my 30 years of genealogy research. I am forever indebted to Aunt Trish and I carry the family history torch that has been passed on for 8 generations and counting. Also she had a lot of cats which we chased around the slate floors of their modern house with the cats losing their grip around the corners and sliding followed by us shouting "cat on water skies".

  • December 15, 2017
    Diana Van Fossen says:
    During childhood summers Aunt Pat and Uncle Jack invited us to visit our cousins Stephanie and Leslie at their wonderful home in North Carolina. It was the farthest South we’d ever been and had a lake stocked with fish with a platform to dive off. We had many adventures. Pat introduced us to Southern cooking. Otherwise I’d never have known what a hush puppy was! Our mother Penny was so proud of her bright and dramatic younger sister, Trish. We heard many stories of her triumphs as a reader and skill in French. She had a rich deep stage voice that I will never forget.

  • December 17, 2017
    Scott Schwab says:
    Pat- I have many happy memories of visiting our Aunt Pat, cousin Alex and the Haines family in Fayetteville, NC as a youngster. It was like an awesome summer camp at your place Pat ...the long driveway thru the woods...amazing backyard lake with the zip line/flying fox out into the water...beautiful modern design house...great food and hospitality.... In those early years I remember Peter Scotty and David hanging out on our own front lawn awaiting your family visits to Baltimore... I think Penny welcomed the break ...we were out of the house for a few hours...even tho we were just outside the front door ...sometimes longer than a few hours (as we would learn that there had been a mall shopping break or two along the journey)... Later when you attended my wedding in Sydney...1994...Pat, Penny and Van as well as Art Schnieder added much life and colour to the festivities. I remember the reception boat literally waiting at the dock because an inexperienced cab driver had taken Pat and Art to a different harbour (miles away)... ... Pat was very generous to the newlyweds which was greatly appreciated. I regret not sending this months ago. Much love, Scotty

  • December 17, 2017
    Beverly Ottenritter says:
    Dear Leslie and Stephanie, I am so sorry you have lost your mother. She had a wonderful sense of humor and brought that to our house when she visited. My mother was never happier than when Aunt Trish was in town. I always admired her for her love of animals. Love,Beverly

  • December 17, 2017
    Noel Schwab says:
    Aunt Pat, or Trish as Penny would always say. Yes, "road trips" South come quickly to mind, 10 Schwabs loaded in the Ford boat headed South past 400 miles of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina countryside and more Stuckeys any kidd could ever wish for, headed for Aunt Pat and Uncle Jack's, and Stephanie, Leslie and Alex and critters and woods, fishing lake, and candy missions to desolate country stores down forbidden dirt roads; it was an adventure and we were all in it together, The Schwabs and the The Haines. I recall My Aunt Pat as a very strong figure of a woman with a commanding piercing voice that as a child always got my attention, but one that I was never really fearful of because behind it was a friend of mine in fun and adventure and there was always a loving kindness about her that softened that authority. It lights up my eyes to recall the time Pat took us to Shell Island where we locked arms in a chain to cross the treacherous rush of tide at the little inlet separating that "treasure Island" of rare shells from the main beach where still it was further protected by a clustered army of a million sand crabs that fortunately would oblige and part in the middle for the foot of a 49" giant like myself; felt like Moses. Pat was central in all of this memory and I thank her for that gift of adventure and excitement for life that I feel has reflected in my life. She was full of Life for sure! Farewell and God Bless, Love, Noel

  • December 17, 2017
    David Schwab says:
    Leslie and Stephanie, I was so sorry to hear about Aunt Pat’s passing. She was almost as crazy as her sister Penny! (in a good way of course!). I remember visiting y’all as a young boy and spending time with Alex, your mom, and the rest of your family, learning what a water moccasin looked like up close and personal and what a fire ant is (and feels like when it bites)! I also remember a neighbor who had an apple orchard and guarded his crop with old fashioned rock salt the shotgun way (thank God he was a bad shot). All great childhood memories and your mother was always so full of life, so funny and so energetic. She made everything fun. She will be missed! I can hear her laugh now when I think about her. Love, David

  • December 18, 2017
    Mara Gabriel says:
    Dear Leslie, Thanks for sharing your mom with me through the years--so many wonderful stories. She was strong, and strong-minded, and totally lovable. I'll remember her quoting long passages of poetry for me on our way to dinner that night in Wilmington. And I'll remember how crazy she was about her dogs. She did a wonderful job raising her daughters, and I'm grateful to her for you, my wonderful friend. My sympathy goes out to you and your family. Love

  • December 19, 2017
    John M. Craig says:
    As Trish's son-in-law, I have come to Wilmington for many years to take her out for her annual lobster on her birthday. It was November 10, the same as the United States Marine Corps birthday. She might call several restaurants to see who had live lobsters. Once she called Elijah's on the Cape Fear river. They get their lobsters in on Thursday and I believe she was calling on Sunday for dinner on Monday. They had one lobster left and didn't think it would survive another day. I don't know what lobster life support entails. The lobster expired before we got there. There were the many trips to Casey's Soul Food. 20 years after Trish's retirement people would still recognize her and compliment her how helpful she was at the Employment Security Commission. I remember the last person speaking to her at Casey's. I can't recall that she ever ate the chitlins and pigs feet at Casey's. Once she took me to the Seaman's Center when I just used my drivers license to get into the port. After 9/11, they started requiring a Homeland Security Card which cost her $135 and several months to confirm that she wasn't an Arab terrorist. Then there was the time I was here and someone blewup a mailbox by her neighbor's home. We had the street closed for two hours while it was investigated. There were five fire trucks, four police cars, the ATF, and the Wilmington Bomb Squad. One night Trish wokeup and there was a possum in bed with her. She would not sleep in her bed again until I drove from Charlotte to catch it. She stayed in Leslie's room. I caught the little guy without any problem. With her love of feeding feral cats she had some cat food on the front porch. One evening when we were leaving for dinner after the possum escapade, there were three of them lined up eating cat food.

  • September 12, 2018
    Howard hodges says:
    I looked you up, Patrice Haines, to contact you to make sure you'll be okay with Hurricane Florence heading your way. Only then, did I realize you had passed on. I knew you through your son, Alex, while I was in Fayetteville, NC & eventually Wash., D.C. We both went thru many 'events' with Alex. You'll now have a chance to see him again. Rest in peace, Trish, RIP.