Whether the Plattsburgh winter weather was too cold to venture the trek downtown by foot or a Plattsburgh State student had too many beers to get behind the wheel of their car, Patrick Carver, owner of Pat’s Taxi Service, was only ever a phone call away.
Carver, commonly referred to as “Pat” by family, friends and customers, passed away Saturday, Nov. 15, at age 86 at the University of Vermont Health Network, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, surrounded by his family.
Born in Plattsburgh on Feb. 16, 1928, to John and Ella (Ryan) Carver, Pat graduated from Willsboro High School in 1946 and started working for Livingston Hatch in Willsboro. At 23, he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1951. He served for four years before leaving and getting hired at DeFabbio & Bertoli Tile Company, located in Plattsburgh.
However, Pat was most known as the owner and driver of the taxi service many PSUC students used regularly, which he operated until the week before he passed.
“Pat was our go-to guy for a cab ride downtown,” PSUC student Adrienne Watts said. “It’s not the same without giving Pat a
hard time for his driving or answering his phone for his next pick up hard time for his driving or answering his phone for his next pick up.”
Pat’s kindness and consideration were qualities that kept students calling each weekend.
“I already miss his cab rides,” PSUC student Rebecca Zwerling said.
One night, Zwerling said, she and a friend were outside of Pizza Bono without enough money for a cab home, having just purchased a pizza. The two made a deal with Pat and exchanged a slice of pizza for a ride home.
“It was probably one of the luckiest moments too because it was snowing and that walk would have been miserable,” she said.
Zwerling added that Pat always remembered where she lived, so whenever she called he would know exactly where to go.
Olivia Walker, a PSUC student and member of Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, said Pat was always friendly to the members and there for them whenever they called him.
“He was always willing to make multiple trips to the same places over and over when everyone couldn’t fit, and we appreciate that and the craziness he had to put up over the years from us,” Walker said.
After finding out about Pat’s passing, Walker said that she and the rest of the Alpha Epsilon Phi members toasted to him to celebrate the time they spent getting to know him.
In addition to the time Pat dedicated to running his taxi service, which was available to the entire Plattsburgh community but often put into use by PSUC students, Pat was an avid sports fan. In particular, he was a loyal supporter of the PSUC men’s and women’s hockey teams.
Survivors include his wife, Jean; brothers John and Jerry; sisters Mary Ann and Helen; brothers-in-law Justin Cardarelli and Jerry Unruh; as well as several nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Nov. 17, at the Hamilton Funeral Home in Peru. Military honors, committal prayers and the burial followed.
Donations in Pat’s memory may be made to the Fitzpatrick Cancer Center in Plattsburgh.
Email Maggie McVey at news@cardinalpointsonline.com.
