Frank Patterson - Illness and Death

Illness and Death

In 1999, Frank learned he had a brain tumour. He had several operations in the following year and his condition appeared to have stabilised. Cardinal O'Connor, in his personal funeral plan, had requested that Frank Patterson sing Ave Maria at his funeral. Patterson's last performance was at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, and the following morning he fell ill and cancelled his appearance at the Cardinal's funeral. That day he was admitted to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center where he lapsed into a coma and died at the age of 61.

At his death accolades and tributes came from, among others, President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern and Opposition leader John Bruton who said he had "the purest voice of his generation." He was survived by his wife, the concert pianist Eily O'Grady, their son Eanan, a violinist with whom he frequently performed, and by his sister Imelda Malone and brothers Noel and Maurice.