Patricia Elaine Carpenter �Pat� Thompson, age 77, a physical education teacher at Miami-Dade County�s Tropical Elementary School for 41 years and permanent resident of Amelia Island since 2010, died on Sunday, October 22, 2016 , at her Fernandina Beach home.

Unique among public school teachers, she was honored for her four-decade-long dedication to students when the county�s school board created at Tropical Elementary a permanent building for physical education named The Pat Thompson Shelter.

Born in Rochester, New York, Pat Carpenter left in 1957 to attend the University of Miami. Two years later she met fellow student Mike Thompson, of Miami, and upon graduation in 1961, became his wife. Married for more than half a century, Pat and Mike had no children of their own, but shared the joys of knowing so many of Pat�s students as they grew into adulthood.

Pat was a lifelong member of the Alpha Chi Omega social sorority and a vital advisor to Mike in his political and Communications career.

She is survived by her husband, Mike, two brothers in Rochester, Ronald Carpenter and Frank Carpenter, plus many beloved nieces and nephews and thousands of former students.

A Christian funeral service for Pat will be held at 2:30 PM on Saturday, October 29, 2016 in Fernandina Beach at the Burgess Chapel of Oxley-Heard Funeral Home.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

She will be laid to rest in Bosque Bello Cemetery in Fernandina Beach.