Patricia van Ameringen Kind, born in 1924, was the middle child of Arnold and Hedwig van Ameringen. She was raised in South Orange, N.J. with her two siblings, Henry van Ameringen and Lily Auchincloss. She attended Kent Place School, where she was a star athlete and was voted “best personality” by her classmates. She went on to become a registered nurse at the Monmouth Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, foreshadowing a lifetime devoted to caring for others.
Her first nursing job was in Philadelphia where she met the love of her life, Philip Kind, Jr. They were married in 1951 and raised five children who continue the legacy of caring for those less fortunate than themselves. Patricia and Philip were caring philanthropists who recognized the plight of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable residents, those struggling daily with deep poverty. They modeled for their children and many others the importance of giving philanthropically, not just financially, but through personal time and energy. Patricia volunteered with the Montgomery County Visiting Nurse Association and helped to found Hedwig House and Circle Lodge, two programs in Norristown that continue to this day to work with those struggling with mental illness. Philip served on the board of Big Brothers for over thirty-five years and taught middle school in North Philadelphia after retiring from the insurance business. Patricia and Philip were deeply committed to the United Way, which in 2014 created the Kind Society to honor the couple’s "incredible legacy of supporting the community”. In 1996, Patricia created the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, seeded with a gift from the estate of her parents. To this day, the mission remains the same; to financially support organizations in Philadelphia that help those struggling daily with the effects of poverty. Patricia died in 2016 at the age of ninety-one and Philip died in 2004 at the age of eighty-eight. They will be fondly remembered as their legacy is carried forward for years to come.
