Patrick Werner, 1950–2026

Patrick Reemelin Werner, born on April Fool’s Day 1950, continued a family tradition of arriving on an unusual day: his mother was born on New Years Day, and his older brother was a leap-year baby.

Although Pat grew up in an Air Force family, this career Air Force officer favored sailing the seas.

In his youth, he was a Boy Scout, graduated from Highland High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas before earning a degree in Electrical Engineering from University of California, Berkeley. While serving in the military he was awarded the first Master of Computer Engineering degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Pat was commissioned as an officer in the US Air Force in 1973 and retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2001 at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. During his decorated military career he served in Wonju, Korea. His retirement ceremony took place on the deck of the USS Constitution.

Pat enjoyed sailing and racing as a member of the Boston Yacht Club and manned the sails of boats heading out from Marblehead harbor. With his resourceful and charming personality, he spent years borrowing boats, crewing for others and helping keep other boatowners’ vessels shipshape. As a professional captain he delivered boats throughout the Eastern Seaboard and the Caribbean.

He finally succumbed to the joys of boat ownership in 2016 and named his boat “Bums Away” after the B-24 his father flew in the Southwest Pacific Theater during World War II.

During the sailing off-season, Pat worked as a professional volleyball referee, officiating at high school, state and national level tournaments.

Uncle Pat was dearly loved by his nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. His travels by air and sea took him around the world, and he delighted in sharing those adventures through thoughtful and generous gifts to his family and friends.

Patrick was preceded in death by his parents Crowell B and Mary Werner. He is survived by his brothers Michael Werner (JoKaren) of Fort Collins, Colorado, and Jeffrey Werner (Susan Lasko) of Santa Cruz, California.

He is also survived by his nieces, Wendy Jo Werner (Iftekar Ahmed) of Muscat, Oman; Pamela Werner-Salsbury (Lucas) of Fort Collins, Colorado, Dorothy Rose of Lebanon, Oregon, Katherine of Los Angeles, California, as well as his grandnieces and grandnephews Umreen, Omar, Bodhi, Indigo, and Marley Rae.

Pat will be remembered for his dedication to service, his love of the sea, his independent spirit, and the generosity and affection he shared with family and friends. He passed away unexpectedly in his longtime residence in Waltham, Massachusetts on October 1, 2026.

A ceremony of life will be scheduled at a later date.

Pat missed the chance to participate in second best day in a boat owner’s life, the day the boat is sold. The first, of course, being the day the boat is bought.