A blind date at Blackhawk Grille led to a true love story for Pat and Paul Burgess. Twenty-three years ago, both Pat and Paul had gone through difficult divorces and were apprehensive about dating and meeting someone new. “When I walked into Blackhawk Grille and saw Paul, it was an instant connection. We closed the restaurant down. Our second date was a marathon of wine tasting and dining. We started out at Château St. Jean Winery in Sonoma. As we entered through the arches into the gardens, I had this eerie feeling that we were going to get married there, which terrified me! Neither of us had any desire to ever get married again! Fast-forward five years, and we ended up getting married at Château St. Jean,” says Pat.
In the first five years of their relationship, Paul says they both were afraid to fall back in love. “During those first five years, we dated and broke up, and dated and broke up… until we finally got back together and realized it was time to stop being so afraid of being hurt again and to trust that we were meant to be together. That was 18 years ago, and our love grows stronger every day. I can’t imagine a life without my partner and my best friend.”
Between Pat and Paul, they have five adult children ranging in age from 42 to 25 years old, and they are the proud grandparents of two grandchildren. The children and their families reside all across the United States.
Paul was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. He left Memphis at the age of 30 for Colorado and then moved to Wisconsin before finally permanently making his way to the Bay Area. He lived in San Ramon, Rockridge, and Walnut Creek before calling Blackhawk home 18 years ago. Furthermore, he received his degree in business at Memphis State University and went on to a career in sales, primarily in the finance and healthcare industries. He has worked for GE Medical and GE Capital, as well as Siemens Medical.
Pat hails from the East Coast and was raised in New York and New Jersey. After attending college in New York and Boston, she remained on the East Coast and lived in New England before moving to Blackhawk, where she has lived for more than 30 years in five different homes. She received her degree in English literature from Boston College and started her career in advertising on the McDonald’s account. From there, she got into tech sales for NJ Bell, then AT&T Information Systems, and moved into national account sales for Rolm Corporation. IBM bought Rolm, and Pat was promoted to product marketing within IBM headquarters. When her former husband took a job in California, she moved the family cross-country and ultimately, together, they started an IT consulting firm. Following that, Pat switched careers and went back to school for interior design combined with a real estate license. Today, Pat and Paul have built a successful career in real estate. “The concept of helping people realize their dreams has been much more rewarding than IT sales,” says Pat.
Volunteering is a major part of Pat’s life. “When my kids were in school, I volunteered in the classroom regularly. Once everyone had graduated, I joined the Danville-Sycamore Rotary Club, where I have been a member for over 16 years. I have served as president, community service chairperson, and several other positions. In addition to Rotary, I started a group called “Divorce Angels”. After living through the nightmare of a horrible divorce, I made it my mission to help educate others. Divorce Angels is made up of professionals within both the legal and financial industries with the goal of providing practical information to help people in this situation make educated decisions. I’m also the co-founder of Impact 100 East Bay. Our mission is to unite women in Alameda and Contra Costa counties through collective philanthropy. Since founding Impact 100 East Bay seven years ago, we’ve donated almost $900,000. Impact 100 East Bay’s goal is to provide high-impact grants that reach under-served populations, support nonprofits, and highlight unmet needs in our community,” says Pat. She has also been an active member of the Danville Chamber of Commerce and faced some challenges when, in 2020, she was the Chairman of the Board. “Because of COVID and with a 10 day resignation notice from the then-current president, steering that boat was very difficult. However, because of strong leadership skills, we found an amazing new president, and the Chamber is now stronger than ever before,” says Pat.
Traveling and creating new memories together is an important part of Pat and Paul’s lives. “This past summer we spent two weeks in Cape Cod, which was so much fun! We loved connecting with our family back east and golfing on amazing courses. We also visited beautiful beaches and quaint towns. Paul and I try to take an extended trip every year. In 2022 we went to Greece; prior to that, we traveled to Ireland; and a few years ago, we went to Italy. Next year, we are hoping to visit England and Scotland. My daughter and I try to go away at least once a year together as well. Last year, we went on a safari in Africa, which was the most incredible trip of a lifetime! We have also traveled to Italy and South Korea together,” says Pat.
No matter where they are in the world, the couple says they are always grateful to come home to Blackhawk where they are both very active in the community. Pat is the secretary for the Blackhawk Niners and a member of Blackhawk Bloomers and Blackhawk Women.
“We love living in Blackhawk and playing golf at the Blackhawk Country Club! Blackhawk is like living in a resort. The two golf courses are fantastic (but hard!), and it is such a treat to be able to go out virtually anytime you want and play a round of golf. In addition to golf, we enjoy our Wednesday night Bocce, although our team is clearly not the best, but we all have lots of fun. We also love the gym, the camaraderie we find on the golf course, and taking walks in the neighborhood. Being here as long as we have, it would be difficult to ever leave Blackhawk, as it has provided a true sense of community for us.”
By Megan Scott, Resident since 2010
Images courtesy of Burgess Family