[br][br]Patricia Marie Torngren passed away peacefully Friday morning, surrounded by her loving family. Patricia is survived by her brother Elbert Anders, Roland, her beloved husband of 59 years, her children Roland Jr (Susan), RitaAnn (Mike), IngMarie (David), Carl (Pam), and Kristina (Jason), 22 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. She also leaves behind those whom she openly welcomed into our extended family: Akira Kobayashi of Japan, her pen pal for fifty years, our brothers Yutaka Okuda of Japan, Fray Adib of Seattle, and their families.
Patricia Marie Anders was born in Spokane, WA March 29, 1936 to Elbert and Rita Anders. Most of her childhood was in Spokane, but she spent her early high-school years in San Francisco when Elbert, an Army soldier, was stationed at the Presidio. She returned to Spokane and graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1954. In the same year she met and married the love of her life, Roland Torngren, a Swedish sailor and carpenter who had moved into her apartment building.
Patricia went on to raise five children, and was active and a leader in Campfire Girls, Boy Scouts, Seiki Kan Dojo, the Lewis & Clark HS Minstrel Show, and the St. Augustine Catholic Church folk group. She was always willing to take on something new, such as organizing Kids Care to provide food and clothing to Vietnamese children in the early 1970's, performing and teaching professional ethnic dance for many years, hosting Scouts from all over the world for the Boy Scout World & National Jamborees, and hosting college exchange students from Japan and Iran. She also had a very creative side, which showed in her skating and dance, her art, gardening, sewing, and crafts.
Patricia Marie was a loving and beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and an amazing human being. She leaves behind a void that will never be fully filled. Patricia, a devoted Catholic, was laid to rest in Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane with a private, family, graveside ceremony. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Hospice of Spokane (P.O. Box 2215, Spokane, WA 99210; 509-456-0438 or 1-888-459-0438).
↧