Patrick McAuliffe

CEO At Connecticut Renaissance, Inc

Patrick McAuliffe, 66, chief executive officer of Connecticut Renaissance, Inc, died August 14 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, after developing complications from a second liver transplant. Formerly a longtime resident of Newtown, he recently made Bethlehem his residence.

Patrick Francis McAuliffe was born July 21, 1942, in Greenwich. He grew up in Stamford and was the son of the late Patrick and Francis (Murphy) McAuliffe. Mr McAuliffe received an associate of science degree in alcohol and drug counseling in 1979 from Mattatuck Community College in Waterbury. He went on to receive his bachelor of science degree in human services in 1982 from New Hampshire College of Manchester. He culminated his education with a master of business administration in 1988 from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. 

Mr McAuliffe’s passion was directed toward improving and developing substance abuse treatment programs. “I love my job, and am not looking forward to retirement. I’ve been very fortunate to work in such a progressive, committed environment with like-minded people,” he had stated on Renaissance’s webpage. In 1971, his career began as an assistant program director for Daytop, Inc. In 1980, he joined Connecticut Renaissance, Inc, a nonprofit substance abuse treatment program headquartered in Bridgeport, as program director; he rose to the position of executive director two years later.

 Since attaining that position, Mr McAuliffe’s vision brought tremendous growth to the agency, making it one of the state’s top treatment facilities and a nationally recognized model for the industry. He implemented partnerships with Yale and UConn universities to conduct research for new treatments, putting the program at the forefront of evidence-based treatment. He was often asked to present at national conferences to share his expertise on evidence-based treatment. On August 14, 1994, McAuliffe Manor, a women’s residential treatment facility in Litchfield, was named in recognition of him and his wife, Lenore.

Mr McAuliffe leaves behind his beloved wife of 35 years, Lenore (Deary) McAuliffe; a daughter, Jennifer McAtee and her husband, Henry, of Harwinton; a son, Grady McAuliffe and his wife, Sarah, of Washington Depot; three grandchildren, Emily McAtee, Brenna McAtee, and Connor McAtee of Harwinton; two sisters, Sheila (McAuliffe) Gaffney of Wayne, Penn., and Jeanne (McAuliffe) Ormond of Darien; one brother, Mark McAuliffe of North Carolina; and mother-in-law, Norma Deary of Wallingford.

Family and friends will celebrate Mr McAuliffe’s life with a memorial service to be held at 2 pm, Friday, August 22, at Lourdes in Litchfield Shrine of Our Lady of Lourde, Route 118, (83 Montfort Road), Litchfield.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Connecticut Renaissance, 350 Fairfield Avenue, Suite 701, Bridgeport CT 06604.

The Woodbury Funeral Home of Munson-Lovetere, 2 School Street, is in charge of arrangements.

The Newtown Bee        August 22, 2008