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GREENSBORO — The crowd gathered to pay their respects to Patricia Sullivan on Monday morning said it all.

They came from every corner of the former UNCG chancellor’s life; family, friends, colleagues and students whose presence — and stories — spoke to all she accomplished.

“She left an indelible mark not just on her university but the entire region,” said UNC President Erskine Bowles, a Greensboro native.

After an impressive vocal performance by faculty from the university’s school of music, state Secretary of Cultural Resources Linda Carlisle couldn’t resist a joke.

“I hope you realize,” she told the crowd at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, “that you are listening to Pat Sullivan’s championship football team.”

Carlisle, a 1972 UNCG graduate and former trustee of the school, said friends and loved ones had been sharing stories about Sullivan all weekend.

“There was a commonality to all the stories I’ve heard,” Carlisle said. “And that was that people mattered to Pat.”

Sullivan died Thursday of pancreatic cancer at the age of 69. She served as UNCG’s chancellor for nearly 14 years and was its first female leader. In her tenure, UNCG experienced tremendous growth in size and reputation, becoming one of the UNC system’s top universities.

Along the way, she left many in attendance Monday with what they called “Pat stories” — some made the solemn Mass erupt in laughter.

Cynthia Farris, a retired associate provost at the school, recalled that Sullivan took golf lessons so she could deliver the first putt at a new on-campus green.

“So, of course, when the new baseball field was dedicated, she asked if I wanted to practice a few throws with her, so she could do the first pitch,” Farris said.

“In her office.”

The chancellor barely avoided shattering any windows, Farris said, but came close to destroying one of the office’s most expensive paintings. These private moments — like the revelation that Sullivan loved eating at Waffle House — stand in sharp contrast to her more buttoned-down public image.

Farris said she’ll miss those moments most.

Bowles shared his memory of visiting Sullivan at UNCG nearly four years ago before he’d been sworn in.

He learned more about leadership in higher education in eight hours with Sullivan than in all his other studies, Bowles said. The former deputy chief of staff to Bill Clinton called Sullivan a mentor and one of the smartest, toughest and most focused people he’s ever known.

“I also came away thinking no one could really be that kind and that considerate,” Bowles said.

“And then, of course, I got a thank you card from her the next morning.”

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com