ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Patricia (Hall) Mitchell Hafeli , 78, passed away on Aug. 11, 2010, after a brief battle with cancer.

Hafeli was the daughter of Dr. F. Earle Hall and Betty Hall of Winchendon, Mass. Born on Aug. 19, 1931, she spent her childhood in Winchendon at the home where her parents lived until their deaths in 1980.

Hafeli graduated from Murdock High School in 1949 and went on to attend the Rhode Island School of Design. After that, she moved to New York, where she spent about five years.

Hafeli moved from New York to Roxbury, Conn., where, in the mid 1960s, she began her newspaper career with the New Milford Times as Pat Mitchell.

After moving to Fitzwilliam in 1970 and then Jaffrey two years later, Pat worked for several New England newspapers over the next 15 years. She also spent several years as the editor of the Monadnock Ledger.

Hafeli was married for 20 years to George Hafeli of Peterborough until his death in 1990.She spent the next 20 years active in the communities of Port Charlotte, Fla, Greenville, N.H., and most recently in Alpharetta, Ga.

She is survived by her children, Scott Wyatt of Fredericksburg, Va., Sarah Phairoj of Danbury, Conn., and Libby Elder of Cumming, Ga.; and four grandchildren, Jennifer Wyatt of Boston, Katherine Wyatt of Brooklyn, N.Y., Shelby Elder of Cumming, Ga., and Maya Phairoj of Danbury, Conn.

Hafeli will be remembered as a wonderful mother, a wonderful friend, a great writer, and a fine artist and craftsman. Although slowed by COPD in later years, she always maintained a high level of energy.

She was an avid writer, reader, card player and fan of movies. Most of all, Hafeli loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She will be missed by many.