image1.jpeg There are times in this life where it seems we must do things almost too painful to be born, but bear them we do. Sitting down to write a bittersweet memory of your beautiful baby sister whose time of making memories is now finished, is one of those times. The sorrow is in the joy of it, remembering happier days, days filled with hope and laughter and beginnings, seeing Patty as she once was, vibrant, vital, filled with spirit, filled with life. Like with most of us, life slowly chips away from dreams as we move into reality, but all along the pathway are those moments of pure gold. Patti was a moment of pure gold for her family when she came to us – a cuddly little bundle with down on her ears, curly hair, legs kicking. It’s true that most memories are like old photographs, sepia, greying with time, but I remember vividly at 10 years old, sitting on my parents bed and holding her for the first time. It was magic. When we moved from Idaho to Henderson Nevada, she was about four, a precious beloved child. We loved swimming in our little backyard cinderblock pool, which fit her a lot better than it did us. But we still had fun together. It was also there she was hit by a car and rushed to the hospital, scaring us all, but was right as rain. We later moved to Las Vegas and went our way from there into the world.
But Patti? Patti should’ve been a zoologist, she loved animals, all of them, and spent several days at the hospital because she was so allergic to cats and just couldn’t leave them alone. She had a white rat she adored forever, and it had free reign of the house - until an unfortunate accident in the bedroom door. She was inconsolable. She also had a bunny that had full reign of the house until it was banished outside, it was spoiled and fat.
She spent time at college and I still have her letters tucked away, buried somewhere in our attic. She and Sue were the best buddies, helpful and caring of each other. I remember her most at Tulsa, because she often came and stayed with us in Missouri. She was such fun to be around and her sense of humor and timing always left people smiling and chuckling. Her great talent was putting people at ease instantly, and when she met Loren, their spirits just meshed, with the same personality, love and support for each other. Our daughter Kristie was a flower girl at their wedding, and she couldn’t stop talking about it. I remember when Jessica was born, when Ben was born, and when Matthew was born - her children were the nexus of her life, and then her grandchildren, and I know how proud she was of them.
She and Lauren moved first by our brother Gene in Ohio, and later to Texas, so far away, but when we talked we were still close, and enjoyed sharing our lives. We didn’t see one another often after that - at a reunion or two, at funerals. But I know we’ll see each other again. Patti was what might be referred to as a candle in the night: she had plenty of hard times and challenges, more than most, especially in these later years, but still she gave out a steady light and she managed to laugh about her circumstances, not to complain but to share. She brought joy to those around her with her beloved Loren by her side as her constant support. She should have had many more years, but I’m glad we had her as long as we did, and our world has dimmed because she has left it. We look forward to the time when we’ll all be together again. Now we hold her only in our hearts and minds, and the next time we see her she’ll be welcoming us to that new life the way we welcomed her to ours.
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