Patrick Jesaitis

Patrick Thomas Jesaitis 1937 - 2017 “Pat” Jesaitis was a man of very diverse abilities. He was an avid tennis player, yet loved to be a home-body, listening to opera. For decades a photographer, but he did not enjoy being in front of the camera. Meticulous in detail and planning, yet could easily forget special occasions. He loved New York Times crossword puzzles – doing them only in ink! In his strengths and in his foibles, we loved him dearly. Pat was born March 17, 1937, in Port Jefferson, Long Island, New York, to Valentine and Beatrice. He was the second of ten children. Raised in a Catholic family, Pat attended Infant Jesus Elementary. He was a star basketball player at Port Jefferson High School and at St. Bonaventure University. Pat married Elizabeth Knapp in 1958, with whom he had five beloved children. His love for accounting (and all things organized!) began by asking a seemingly well-traveled and -heeled teacher what would be a good career –and, viola! – accounting it was! After graduating with his BBA in Accounting, Pat’s career began as an accountant with Chicopee Manufacturing (a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson in New Brunswick, New Jersey). When he finished his MBA in Taxation from New York University, he and the family moved to Yellow Springs, Ohio, to teach accounting and finance at Antioch College, a progressive liberal arts college. School called again, and in 1966, Pat moved to Arlington, Massachusetts, to attend Harvard University. Three years later, with his DBA in Business Policy, Pat moved to Kansas City, Missouri, to begin his thirty-year career as a Professor of Administration – Organizational Behavior at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. Pat’s diverse interest bore fruit in an assortment of ways. During the seventies, he helped organize the 49-63 Neighborhood Coalition, a social-justice group aimed at improving mid-town Kansas City. For decades, as Pat traveled the world, he photographed unique spots or angles, often waiting hours for the “right shot.” Pat’s art took him around the United States for exhibits and art shows. When living in Weston, Missouri, Pat volunteered for its annual Apple Fest, serving as Chair for many years. He also served on the Weston Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Two of the local bars ordered Drambuie for the first time, keeping it in stock for Pat’s favorite, a Rusty Nail. Pat passed away peacefully among his family early on December 14. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Nancy Day; his five children: Steve, Amy, Tim, Colleen, and Lynne; his five grand-children (Laurel, Alexandra, Carmen, Kathryn, and Veronica); great-grandson, Sam Parcell, and scores of other family and friends. Donations in Pat’s name may be made to Doctors Without Borders or the food ministries of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church – Kansas City, Missouri. A memorial service and interment will be held at 3:00 on Saturday, February 3, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 11 E. 40th St., Kansas City, Missouri, 64111.