About the Author
Born and raised in the suburbs of New Jersey, Patricia Clark was raised as an only child in a single-parent home. At seventeen years old, Patty left home for college, dropping out a year later. She bounced around living in different places and trying different jobs until she decided on a career in law enforcement. She started her career with the Morris County Sheriff’s office when she was twenty-five years old.
Over the next ten years, Patty threw herself into her job, homeownership, and her love for her dogs. Spending her free time advocating for animal causes, she has always believed that one person can make a difference; whether it’s one plastic bottle recycled or one dog saved from a shelter, one person can impact the world.
Patty met her future husband, David Gilbride, during her work as a sheriff’s officer. They lived in New Jersey for thirteen years and retired to Topsail Island, North Carolina, in 2015.
She expected her retirement to consist of “doing all the things I didn’t have time to do when I was working.” Having a strong belief in the importance of volunteering, she spent the next five years rescuing birds, taking her pet therapy dog to various facilities, and training her rescue dog, Sadie.
But in 2020 when her husband was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer, she shifted gears to become a full-time advocate and caregiver. For the next three years, Patty and Dave excelled at making memories together that would last her a lifetime. After Dave’s death, Patty wrote her first book and discovered her calling was sharing her grief with others. As a critical part of her healing, she realized the topics of death and end-of-life need to become more a part of common conversation. She hopes to encourage people to start talking about these topics with their families so that as a society we can grow more comfortable with the subjects.
In her free time, Patty enjoys Pilates, horseback riding, and exploring the country in her camper with Sadie.
