Patricia "Pat" Lombard
April 5, 1952 — June 28, 2020
Patricia "Pat" Lombard passed away from cancer at her home in Boynton Beach, Florida on June 28, 2020, with her husband Ed and sister Sue at her side. She had seen her son Andrew and granddaughter Evelyn via FaceTime minutes before.
Pat was born in Newark, but grew up in Caldwell, New Jersey with her parents Sal and Faye Lombard, her sister Sue, and her grandmother, aunt, and cousins. Pat attended Saint Aloysius Catholic Elementary School and Caldwell High School. She excelled in academics, placing into a number of honors classes. She played on several high school sports teams and enjoyed tennis with her sister Sue. It was in high school that Pat developed her life-long interests in Semitic languages and linguistic biblical studies.
Pat attended The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C., graduating summa cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology in 1974. She loved her time at CUA, where she made life-long friends, and met one very special person. When Pat showed up for the first day of freshman calculus, she was a bit surprised to find herself surrounded by engineering students. She shared this observation with the friendly-looking engineering student seated next to her, not knowing she had just met the man who would become her husband. Thanks to Ed's keen interest in the subject, Pat learned a good bit about computers alongside her psychology studies. She also continued to pursue both her studies in Semitic languages and her interest in sports. She was a member of the field hockey team, and also played tennis and racquetball. Pat, Ed and their friends began a tradition of weekend volleyball games that continued every Saturday for more than ten years. After starting some graduate work at Northern Illinois University, she opted to return to the D.C. area. She took additional courses in the Semitic Languages Department at CUA while working at several jobs, including as a keypunch operator, computer programmer, and administrative assistant. In 1976, she enjoyed a grueling but wonderful summer participating in an archeological dig near the Lahav kibbutz in Israel.
In the fall of 1976, Pat began what would be a 32-year career in the Research Division of The Federal Judicial Center. In her initial role as a data analyst, she converted research data from paper form to digital and assisted researchers with data analyses for their projects. She began to distinguish herself early, co-authoring a seminal paper on judicial controls and the civil litigation process, still an important area of study today. In 1983, Pat took a break from the FJC, taking a job at Online Systems/UIS, where she worked with a number of friends from CUA. Pat enjoyed the opportunity to develop computer programs on IBM PCs running PC-DOS at a time when personal computers were just starting to be used in business. However, when the opportunity arose in 1985, Pat returned to the FJC as a Research Associate. She didn't totally leave computers behind though: for many years she maintained a VAX/VMS computer system used for data and analysis in the Research Division.
Over time, Pat became her Division's go-to resource for data analysis and design. She collaborated with FJC researchers on various studies and was the author or co-author of numerous papers. Her major projects included the Integrated Database, which compiled federal court case data for FJC and external use, the bankruptcy and district court case weighting studies, the courtroom use study, the development of a probation recidivism guidelines calculator, and studies of the federal sentencing guidelines. Pat was loved by her FJC colleagues, who found her to be warm and caring, with just the right touch of humor needed for the moment. She was known as a superb researcher and data analyst, and a generous and supportive colleague who made nearly every project in the Division better.
Pat always had a yearning to learn new things. While working at the FJC, she took courses at University College, the adult education unit of the University of Maryland. In December 1996 she completed her work and graduated with an M.S. degree in Computer Systems Management. Later, she took eclectic courses at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
In 2011, Pat retired from the FJC as a Senior Researcher. Upon learning of her death, FJC Director John Cooke said of her work, "Pat was part of a team of outstanding researchers who built the division's reputation for excellence and integrity. Although she started her work in the analog era, Pat helped lead the way into the digital age. She developed tools and methods for organizing and analyzing data that still provide the foundation for much of our work today." Former FJC Deputy Director Russell Wheeler added: "Pat knew federal court data--both obvious and arcane--like no other, and she could not have been nicer or more accommodating in explaining them to those of us who find them befuddling." Former Research Division Director Jim Eaglin fondly recalled his and Pat's early days at the Center and described how much he depended on Pat for advice throughout his career. Cooke summed up: "Passion for excellence, mastery of detail, and genuine friendship were Pat's hallmarks. She exemplified the very best as a researcher and as a person. Pat Lombard is an important part of the Center's history. She helped make the Center what it is today. She will always be one of us."
By her side during all of it was her boyfriend and then husband, Ed. While dating they enjoyed taking car trips, both for sightseeing and to visit their families in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Florida. They went hiking, played volleyball, and enjoyed socializing with their friends. In 1980, Pat and Ed were married at Saint Aloysius Catholic Church in Caldwell. They took a honeymoon cruise, the first of many cruises they would enjoy. They moved into their first home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Though both worked long hours at their jobs and commuted to D.C. daily, they always found time to get together with friends, visit relatives, travel to the nearby mountains, and enjoy local attractions and performances. They also took vacation trips to explore national parks, amusement parks, recreation areas and cities all around the country.
In 1986, their son Andrew was born, adding another happy dimension to Pat's life. In 1988, they moved to Damascus, Maryland, where they would live until they retired. As a young child, Andrew commuted in with Pat and Ed and attended daycare near their jobs in D.C. Pat greatly enjoyed being a mother. She and Ed attended all of Andrew's sports games and band concerts. Pat enjoyed helping (and prodding!) him with his schoolwork. Pat, Ed and Andrew loved traveling together as a family, especially visiting Disney World and going on cruises. Pat was incredibly proud of the smart and caring man her son became.
When Andrew went off to college at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Pat became an instant fan of Hokie sports, particularly football, in part because Andrew was in the VT marching band drumline. Pat and Ed invested in a Massanutten timeshare nearer to Blacksburg so they could more easily visit Andrew and attend VT football games and other events. Pat was proud to watch Andrew graduate with a B.S. in Computer Science, already having been recruited for a computer-programming job in the D.C. area - definitely a chip off the old block of both his parents!
In 2012, Pat and Ed retired to Boynton Beach, Florida, Ed's boyhood hometown. They fully indulged their love of travel, especially cruises and car trips to new locations, and even learned to line dance. Pat continued her learning on-line, particularly enjoying courses from The Great Courses Company as well as updating her computer programming skills to better keep up with what Andrew was doing in his job. Pat's sister Sue also moved to Boynton Beach, much to their mutual pleasure. Pat and Sue volunteered for political campaigns, attended lectures together at the FAU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and went to meetups to discuss philosophical issues.
After college, Andrew advanced in his programming job, started running, and then met Katie Poore. In 2017 Pat was thrilled when they announced their engagement. Pat was ecstatic about the wedding and all its planning. Even a broken ankle couldn't stop her from fully celebrating. After much hard work in rehab, she was able to dance with Andrew at his wedding in March 2018.
A year later, Pat was thrilled to welcome a new member of the Mulrean family, Andrew and Katie's daughter Evelyn Leah. Pat and Ed were now grandparents and of course had to rush up to Virginia to see their new granddaughter. They visited several other times during the year. Pat's last visit was for Evelyn's first birthday in March, just before the coronavirus pandemic put a temporary end to most traveling.
During the pandemic, Pat and Ed stayed in and learned to order groceries online and cook at home, a change from the regular dining out they loved. They watched movies and TV series together, and of course regularly chatted on FaceTime with Andrew, Katie, and Evelyn, as well as staying in touch with family and friends. Pat and Sue found an ingenious solution, meeting in the parking lot of the Dunkin' Donuts each week where they drank coffee and chatted from an appropriate social distance seated in their respective cars.
Pat was a fighter and a survivor. In 1999, she was successfully treated for breast cancer. One of her proud accomplishments was completing a 60-mile Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day walk from Frederick, Maryland to the D.C. National Mall in 2001. In 2013 she was diagnosed with renal cancer and fought off a recurrence two years later. Unfortunately, her renal cancer returned in May 2020, and she passed away in June.
Pat Lombard is survived by her husband Edward Mulrean of Boynton Beach, Florida; son Andrew Mulrean, daughter-in-law Katie Mulrean, and granddaughter Evelyn Mulrean of Vienna, Virginia; sister Sue Turgeon and spouse Wendy Lovejoy of Boynton Beach; nephew Brian Turgeon and wife Isatta of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and many cousins and other family members.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Cleveland Clinic for Cancer Patient Support Services.
URL https://my.clevelandclinic.org/giving/make-a-gift
Pat was born in Newark, but grew up in Caldwell, New Jersey with her parents Sal and Faye Lombard, her sister Sue, and her grandmother, aunt, and cousins. Pat attended Saint Aloysius Catholic Elementary School and Caldwell High School. She excelled in academics, placing into a number of honors classes. She played on several high school sports teams and enjoyed tennis with her sister Sue. It was in high school that Pat developed her life-long interests in Semitic languages and linguistic biblical studies.
Pat attended The Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C., graduating summa cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology in 1974. She loved her time at CUA, where she made life-long friends, and met one very special person. When Pat showed up for the first day of freshman calculus, she was a bit surprised to find herself surrounded by engineering students. She shared this observation with the friendly-looking engineering student seated next to her, not knowing she had just met the man who would become her husband. Thanks to Ed's keen interest in the subject, Pat learned a good bit about computers alongside her psychology studies. She also continued to pursue both her studies in Semitic languages and her interest in sports. She was a member of the field hockey team, and also played tennis and racquetball. Pat, Ed and their friends began a tradition of weekend volleyball games that continued every Saturday for more than ten years. After starting some graduate work at Northern Illinois University, she opted to return to the D.C. area. She took additional courses in the Semitic Languages Department at CUA while working at several jobs, including as a keypunch operator, computer programmer, and administrative assistant. In 1976, she enjoyed a grueling but wonderful summer participating in an archeological dig near the Lahav kibbutz in Israel.
In the fall of 1976, Pat began what would be a 32-year career in the Research Division of The Federal Judicial Center. In her initial role as a data analyst, she converted research data from paper form to digital and assisted researchers with data analyses for their projects. She began to distinguish herself early, co-authoring a seminal paper on judicial controls and the civil litigation process, still an important area of study today. In 1983, Pat took a break from the FJC, taking a job at Online Systems/UIS, where she worked with a number of friends from CUA. Pat enjoyed the opportunity to develop computer programs on IBM PCs running PC-DOS at a time when personal computers were just starting to be used in business. However, when the opportunity arose in 1985, Pat returned to the FJC as a Research Associate. She didn't totally leave computers behind though: for many years she maintained a VAX/VMS computer system used for data and analysis in the Research Division.
Over time, Pat became her Division's go-to resource for data analysis and design. She collaborated with FJC researchers on various studies and was the author or co-author of numerous papers. Her major projects included the Integrated Database, which compiled federal court case data for FJC and external use, the bankruptcy and district court case weighting studies, the courtroom use study, the development of a probation recidivism guidelines calculator, and studies of the federal sentencing guidelines. Pat was loved by her FJC colleagues, who found her to be warm and caring, with just the right touch of humor needed for the moment. She was known as a superb researcher and data analyst, and a generous and supportive colleague who made nearly every project in the Division better.
Pat always had a yearning to learn new things. While working at the FJC, she took courses at University College, the adult education unit of the University of Maryland. In December 1996 she completed her work and graduated with an M.S. degree in Computer Systems Management. Later, she took eclectic courses at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
In 2011, Pat retired from the FJC as a Senior Researcher. Upon learning of her death, FJC Director John Cooke said of her work, "Pat was part of a team of outstanding researchers who built the division's reputation for excellence and integrity. Although she started her work in the analog era, Pat helped lead the way into the digital age. She developed tools and methods for organizing and analyzing data that still provide the foundation for much of our work today." Former FJC Deputy Director Russell Wheeler added: "Pat knew federal court data--both obvious and arcane--like no other, and she could not have been nicer or more accommodating in explaining them to those of us who find them befuddling." Former Research Division Director Jim Eaglin fondly recalled his and Pat's early days at the Center and described how much he depended on Pat for advice throughout his career. Cooke summed up: "Passion for excellence, mastery of detail, and genuine friendship were Pat's hallmarks. She exemplified the very best as a researcher and as a person. Pat Lombard is an important part of the Center's history. She helped make the Center what it is today. She will always be one of us."
By her side during all of it was her boyfriend and then husband, Ed. While dating they enjoyed taking car trips, both for sightseeing and to visit their families in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Florida. They went hiking, played volleyball, and enjoyed socializing with their friends. In 1980, Pat and Ed were married at Saint Aloysius Catholic Church in Caldwell. They took a honeymoon cruise, the first of many cruises they would enjoy. They moved into their first home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Though both worked long hours at their jobs and commuted to D.C. daily, they always found time to get together with friends, visit relatives, travel to the nearby mountains, and enjoy local attractions and performances. They also took vacation trips to explore national parks, amusement parks, recreation areas and cities all around the country.
In 1986, their son Andrew was born, adding another happy dimension to Pat's life. In 1988, they moved to Damascus, Maryland, where they would live until they retired. As a young child, Andrew commuted in with Pat and Ed and attended daycare near their jobs in D.C. Pat greatly enjoyed being a mother. She and Ed attended all of Andrew's sports games and band concerts. Pat enjoyed helping (and prodding!) him with his schoolwork. Pat, Ed and Andrew loved traveling together as a family, especially visiting Disney World and going on cruises. Pat was incredibly proud of the smart and caring man her son became.
When Andrew went off to college at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Pat became an instant fan of Hokie sports, particularly football, in part because Andrew was in the VT marching band drumline. Pat and Ed invested in a Massanutten timeshare nearer to Blacksburg so they could more easily visit Andrew and attend VT football games and other events. Pat was proud to watch Andrew graduate with a B.S. in Computer Science, already having been recruited for a computer-programming job in the D.C. area - definitely a chip off the old block of both his parents!
In 2012, Pat and Ed retired to Boynton Beach, Florida, Ed's boyhood hometown. They fully indulged their love of travel, especially cruises and car trips to new locations, and even learned to line dance. Pat continued her learning on-line, particularly enjoying courses from The Great Courses Company as well as updating her computer programming skills to better keep up with what Andrew was doing in his job. Pat's sister Sue also moved to Boynton Beach, much to their mutual pleasure. Pat and Sue volunteered for political campaigns, attended lectures together at the FAU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and went to meetups to discuss philosophical issues.
After college, Andrew advanced in his programming job, started running, and then met Katie Poore. In 2017 Pat was thrilled when they announced their engagement. Pat was ecstatic about the wedding and all its planning. Even a broken ankle couldn't stop her from fully celebrating. After much hard work in rehab, she was able to dance with Andrew at his wedding in March 2018.
A year later, Pat was thrilled to welcome a new member of the Mulrean family, Andrew and Katie's daughter Evelyn Leah. Pat and Ed were now grandparents and of course had to rush up to Virginia to see their new granddaughter. They visited several other times during the year. Pat's last visit was for Evelyn's first birthday in March, just before the coronavirus pandemic put a temporary end to most traveling.
During the pandemic, Pat and Ed stayed in and learned to order groceries online and cook at home, a change from the regular dining out they loved. They watched movies and TV series together, and of course regularly chatted on FaceTime with Andrew, Katie, and Evelyn, as well as staying in touch with family and friends. Pat and Sue found an ingenious solution, meeting in the parking lot of the Dunkin' Donuts each week where they drank coffee and chatted from an appropriate social distance seated in their respective cars.
Pat was a fighter and a survivor. In 1999, she was successfully treated for breast cancer. One of her proud accomplishments was completing a 60-mile Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day walk from Frederick, Maryland to the D.C. National Mall in 2001. In 2013 she was diagnosed with renal cancer and fought off a recurrence two years later. Unfortunately, her renal cancer returned in May 2020, and she passed away in June.
Pat Lombard is survived by her husband Edward Mulrean of Boynton Beach, Florida; son Andrew Mulrean, daughter-in-law Katie Mulrean, and granddaughter Evelyn Mulrean of Vienna, Virginia; sister Sue Turgeon and spouse Wendy Lovejoy of Boynton Beach; nephew Brian Turgeon and wife Isatta of Upper Marlboro, Maryland; and many cousins and other family members.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Cleveland Clinic for Cancer Patient Support Services.
URL https://my.clevelandclinic.org/giving/make-a-gift
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