Sagewood Resident Pat Uline

After traveling to 140 countries and performing in several piano recitals in those countries, Pat Uline has quite the story to tell. At the young age of eight, she won her first scholarship in piano to the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Pat was a soloist at a young age and from there, has performed in numerous orchestras across the nation. At just 12 years old, she performed with the Cleveland Orchestra.

Pat would go on to perform all throughout the world – India, Paris, France and more. “I’ve played all over the place,” Pat said in an interview with KTAR News. “My family was living overseas and every place I went, they wanted me to do a concert.”

While she was no doubt having the time of her life, she made the decision to support her four children full time.

“When I was 50 years old, I was single and had four children to educate,” she said. “They were teenagers getting near college age and I didn’t have any money at all.” Pat knew she needed to change careers in order to provide for her family.

Beating the odds, Pat became a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch, in a time where female stockbrokers were virtually non-existent. “I was a stockbroker for 22 years, but, please, don’t hold it against me,” she joked. During her time as a stock broker, she decided to give ballroom dancing a try. After much practice, she would go on to win the U.S. Pro-Am Ballroom Championship in the Over 47 Category when she was 65.

She was a stockbroker until the age of 72, when she retired. Upon retirement, she decided It was time to give the piano a try once more. And, she still had the Steinway she originally learned to play on.

“I thought it would be really difficult,” she told KTAR News. “In fact, I thought it was almost impossible.” As it turns out, it wasn’t impossible but it took months of hard work to get her fingers back in shape.

Recently, Pat purchased a Schimmel grand piano, which she graciously donated to Sagewood. The piano will be placed in the new auditorium upon completion.

Pat is now enjoying a great life at the Sagewood community with her husband. She has performed several times for her fellow friends and residents and we hope to again be treated to her magnificent piano playing in the near future.