Patricia Burke Govan

Patricia Burke Govan, 84 of Summerville, widow of James R. Govan, passed away on Thursday, June 15, 2017 at Life Care Center of Charleston. Friends and family are invited to attend her visitation on Sunday, June 18, 2017 from 4 o’clock until 6 o’clock PM at James A. Dyal Funeral Home. Funeral mass will be held on Monday, June 19, 2017 at 9 o’clock AM at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church, 28 Sumter Avenue, Summerville. Inurnment will be held at Dorchester Memory Gardens at a later date. Patricia was born on January 11, 1933 in Elizabeth, NJ daughter of the late John Burke and Julia (Kelly) Burke. She and her husband James moved to Summerville in 2008 from Hillside, NJ. They were married for 57 years before he passed away on June 8, 2015. Mrs. Govan was an educator for 52 years. She was an elementary teacher for 33 years and the was an adjunct professor at three universities, supervised student teachers for her alma mater, gave workshops and made presentations and various reading conferences. She is listed in the World of Women’s Who’s Who in American Education and in Who’s Who in Irish America. She was a member of Kappa Delta Pi – National Honor Society in Education. She could read, write, spell and use a dictionary from the time she was three years old. In high school, she wrote several articles for the school newspaper and was awarded first prize from the Colombia Scholastic Press Association. She wrote and hand delivered press releases to her local newspaper. She also wrote the handout given to the public at the Kean Estates, now Kean University. She was a trained Parliamentarian and was a member and treasurer of the Cranford Unit of Parliamentarians. She tried to instill in her students an appreciation for US history, an appreciation for the power and beauty of words, and a love of reading. She was a former member of St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Hillside, NJ for 40 plus years and a current member of St. John the Beloved Catholic Church. Surviving are: son: William Govan of Roxboro, NC; brother: William Burke of Monroe, NJ; six grandchildren: Patricia Battles of Montgomery, AL, Taylor Govan of Roxboro, NC, James F. Govan, Cassidy J. Govan and Kyra P Govan all of Summerville, SC and Brittany Kerr of Roxboro, NC; six great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband and her son James Govan in June 2011. A memorial message may be written to the family by visiting our website at www.jamesadyal.com. ARRANGEMENTS BY JAMES A. DYAL FUNERAL HOME, 303 SOUTH MAIN STREET, SUMMERVILLE, SC 29483 (843)873-4040.

Patricia Burke Govan

January 11, 1933 - June 15, 2017