Patti F. O'rourke (1923-2003)
| Publication year | 2011 |
| Pages | 49 |
2011, July, Pg. 49. Patti F. O'Rourke (1923-2003)
July 2011
Vol. 40, No. 7 [Page 49]
About the Authors
Gus F. Sandstrom, Jr. was a Vice President of the University of Southern Colorado during 1979-80 and District Attorney for the Tenth Judicial District from January 1981 to January 2005-g.sandstrom@comcast.net. W. David Lytle has been with the law firm of Altman, Keilbach, Lytle, Parlapiano and Ware, P.C. for thirty-seven years. He worked alongside Patti?O'Rourke on many community efforts in Pueblo. Lytle was CBA President during 2007-08-lytle@altman-keilbach.com.
I first met Patti when I was a high school student in the early 1960s. Patti had an office-sharing arrangement with Frank Stewart and Alan Davis in the Mesa Junction area of Pueblo. I had been hiredby Frank to be a runner and a clerk of sorts. I hadn't seen Patti very much because most of her afternoons were spent in court.
The office had a petty cash box that the lawyers often tapped when they needed cash. Patti was the only one who diligently put a note in the box, dating her withdrawal, the amount, and even the purpose. Frank and Alan never quite got around to recording their withdrawals; most of the time, they would just take out a few bucks on their way to the Senate Bar at the end of the day. One such occasion resulted in my first direct encounter with Patti. One Friday afternoon, Frank dispatched me to get $100 from the petty cash box for him. Patti came in just as I was removing the $100 from the cash box. I had not yet filled out a withdrawal note (unlike Frank and Alan, I had figured out that the kid had better put a note in the box), and she pounced! She was certain now that she had solved the mystery of the missing cash box money. She proceeded to initiate a lecture, ending with a promise that this would be my last day in the office. I stood there, dumbstruck.
Fortunately, Frank heard the commotion and stopped Patti from tossing me from the premises. Frank confirmed to Patti that he had indeed sent me to obtain the funds for him. Then, much to his chagrin, he admitted that he and Alan often were remiss in leaving a note about the petty cash they had removed. Patti was devastated that she had falsely accused me and had not given me an opportunity to explain. Ultimately, she and I would become the best of friends.
An Exceptional Beginning
Patti Hampel was born on September 11, 1923 in Mount Vernon, New York. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class at age 15, and received her undergraduate degree from The College of New Rochelle at age 17. In...
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