Patricia Tissot
Patricia Tissot has deep roots in our community. Her grandfather purchased the first family bungalow in 1917 or 1918 at 179 Bedford where her parents, and herself as a child, regularly spent their summer months. Patricia and her husband Ian later moved to 207th Street as full-time residents in 1964. Several parents then approached Pat with the proposal that she start a nursery school. Fifteen or twenty mothers and their three-year old children joined, thus starting the Tri Tots Nursery School. Patricia ran the school until she was offered a teaching position in P.S. 114. However, Tri Tots was the springboard for the state-licensed Little Red Wagon pre-school which continues today.
Patricia joined the Rockaway Point's Firehouse in 1973. She was invited to serve as a Second, and then as First Lieutenant. Pat went on to be elected as the Chief, and thus the first female fire chief in New York State.
In her role as Chief in 1992 and 1993, she worked with the Coop on public safety. She joined a new committee that explored the medical needs of the community and drafted plans for a year-round medical office in the nature of an urgent care center. This was the genesis of the Medical Center. And last but not least, Patricia was recognized as Catholic Woman of the Year by the Brooklyn Diocese in 2023.
Patricia Tissot has now spent a half century taking the initiative in responding to the needs of our maturing community. In doing so she has immeasurably enriched our hometown in historically significant ways.
Note: see her induction into the Hall of Fame and a video interview posted on the Breezy Point YouTube channel.