A Quiet Matriarch Remembered: Patricia A. Steitz

Basic Information

A Family Rooted in Western New York

Patricia A. Steitz built a home that became a hub for a large family in Buffalo and its surroundings. Her public story is more about bonds than offices or awards: a 1954 marriage, five children raised from the 1960s to 1980s, and twelve grandchildren who carried the family name. From 1936 birth in Buffalo to 2009 death in Clarence, her life was a straight line.

In family remembrances she is a mother and grandmother first, a presence in the background that made everything else possible. The portrait that emerges is quiet yet sturdy, like a cornerstone hidden beneath a home that hundreds visit but rarely see.

Names, Dates, and the Shape of a Life

Patricia’s legal and household names are publically mixed, like many midcentury American women. She is known as Patricia A. Steitz Fichtner after marriage and as Patricia A. and Patricia S. Fichtner in family records. The Buffalo native who chose family life as her stage remains unchanged despite decades of forms and announcements.

Key dates anchor her timeline. She was born on 16 November 1936. She married in 1954. She and her husband welcomed their first son, William, in 1956. She died on 24 December 2009 at age 73.

Marriage and Children

Patricia married William E. Fichtner, sometimes known as William Frederick Fichtner, in 1954. The couple raised Margaret, William, Patricia, Mary, and Pamela in Western New York. The kids’ names show a family that valued traditions and relationships. Their adult life centered in the region, with Jarmuz and Barresi married, while Pamela, the youngest daughter, was unmarried at Patricia’s death.

The steady cadence of their home life is implied by what survives: consistent place, enduring partnership, a ring of children and grandchildren. In the era before digital footprints, such consistency leaves fewer public traces but a larger private legacy.

Grandchildren: Twelve Bright Points

Her final years are framed by 12 grandkids. The fathers of William’s first and second wives, Sam and Vangel, are famous actors. Family records list William, Michael, Katherine, Max, Theodore, Olivia, James, John, Emily, and Kelly as other grandchildren. For a family portrait that emphasizes kinship over cataloging, their branch of descent is not publicly disclosed.

Grandchildren at a Glance

Parents and Siblings

Patricia was born to Theodore J. Steitz and Margaret W. Dietl, placing her in Buffalo’s midcentury European American family tapestry. Edward Steitz and Michael Trost, married to Heather Trost, are her siblings. Two surnames among siblings suggest a complex family structure that can follow remarriage or mixed households, reminding us that families are often less linear than they appear on paper.

In Her Son’s Spotlight

Patricia regularly mentions her 1956-born son, actor William Edward Fichtner, from Cheektowaga. Most outsiders know her name because of family. That connection is one of many in her family: four daughters, a son, and the daily job of maintaining a household that has been in one spot for over 50 years.

The public sees an actor; the family remembers a mother whose consistency made careers and futures possible. Fame casts a bright light, but it often reveals the steady hands holding the lamp.

Resting Place and Remembrance

Patricia is interred at Clarence Fillmore Cemetery in Clarence, Erie County, New York, a short drive from her birthplace. Living close to home is reflected in the cemetery. Nearness affects memory. A family’s continuity is obvious when they meet at a burial near their dinner tables and living rooms where memories were spoken.

Her husband survived her by roughly two years, passing in 2011. The couple’s names now bookend an era and a family that continues to grow in Western New York and beyond.

Life Without a Public Resume

There are no public records of occupations, degrees, or professional affiliations for Patricia. Her obituary and family mentions keep the spotlight on her roles within the household. For some lives, the private realm is not a footnote. It is the main story.

The absence of a public resume does not imply an absence of work. Raising five children through decades of change is an achievement of patience and structure. The ledger of such a life is written in birthdays remembered, school mornings managed, and holidays staged with precision.

Timeline

• 16 November 1936: Born in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, to Theodore J. Steitz and Margaret W. Dietl.
• 1954: Married William E. Fichtner also recorded as William Frederick Fichtner.
• 1956: Birth of son William Edward Fichtner in Western New York.
• 1960s to 1980s: Raises five children in the Buffalo and Cheektowaga area.
• 24 December 2009: Dies in Buffalo at age 73.
• 2011: Husband William dies, closing a chapter for the couple that began in the 1950s.

Family at a Glance

FAQ

Who was Patricia A. Steitz?

She was a private individual from Buffalo, New York, known within her family as a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.

When was she born and when did she die?

She was born on 16 November 1936 and died on 24 December 2009 at the age of 73.

What was her connection to actor William Fichtner?

She was his mother, with William Edward Fichtner born in 1956 and raised in Cheektowaga.

Did she have a public career or job record?

No public information documents her occupation or professional achievements.

Where is she buried?

She is buried at Clarence Fillmore Cemetery in Clarence, Erie County, New York.

How many children did she have?

She had five children: Margaret, William, Patricia, Mary, and Pamela.

How many grandchildren did she have?

She had twelve named grandchildren, including Sam and Vangel Fichtner.

What names did she use in public records?

She appears as Patricia A. Steitz, Patricia A. Steitz Fichtner, Patricia A. Fichtner, and Patricia S. Fichtner.

Who were her parents?

Her parents were Theodore J. Steitz and Margaret W. Dietl.

Did she live outside Western New York?

Public materials place her life and family firmly in Buffalo and the Cheektowaga area.