Patricia Strickland, 75, also known affectionately as Nana by grandchildren and Nana Pat by her kindergartners, died peacefully in her home April 2nd. She was surrounded by loved ones, her cat, music and her beloved garden. Patricia passed away from a brain tumor.
Patsy was born in Malaga, Spain where she lived an idyllic early life next to the sea. At 9 her family immigrated to Redondo Beach, CA, due to the Spanish Civil War. There she finished out her childhood near the ocean. She was an avid student and was named the valedictorian of Redondo Union High School. Pat also received an academic scholarship to journalism at USC.
She married Bill Strickland and had four children. The Stricklands moved to Arroyo Grande and eventually to Santa Barbara, which she loved dearly, and enjoyed many close friendships.
She returned to school at age 40 in Spanish Studies at UCSB. Always an accomplished student, she earned department scholarships and went on to join the Peace Corps, working in Paraguay.
The last 14 years of Pat’s life were in San Luis Obispo where she was close to her large, extended family. In her usual outgoing style she volunteered her time at the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History, the San Luis Mission and the bilingual Kindergarten class at Pacheco Elementary School.
Pat loved many things: reading, writing, traveling, her children (usually) and grandchildren (always), the joys of cooking, picnics, politics, history, the arts and intelligent conversation. She had a special gift for friendship, and will be sorely missed by a huge range of people.
Pat is survived by her four children and their families; Michael (Tony) Strickland, Tina (Jack) Kurrels, Susie (BJ) Diggins, and Hilary (Steve) Kuphal. She is also survived by six beloved grandchildren, a great-grandson, a brother Mark (Cheryle) Hawker, a brother-in-law Bill Todd and his two daughters and their families. She will also be missed by an extensive family group in Spain.
Baby Patsy
Santa Clara
Always reading
Teenage Pat
Bill and Pat Strickland
Family Beach Time
Margarita, Mark, Patsy
Strickland Children
Grandchildren
See you later Nana...
To Pat's family and extended family and friends :
ReplyDeleteMy name is Linda Winters AKA " The Puppet Lady", I'm a Docent at Pat's favorite place in Morro Bay. It was always a plan for Pat to translate one of the puppet shows to Spanish so that we, the puppet troupe, could travel to her other love in life, the children in the Pecheco School bilingual program. EVERY single time I saw her , at her post in the back of the museum, she would remind me that she was "working" on the script and she would promise to call me when she was ready to train us all in the art of performing, en espanol. I never pushed her, but I really always expected to get that phone call to say " I'm ready ". It never came, and we will never know what wonderful ways she would have translated the story to add humor for the children and education for the adults. I will always miss Pat's giant heart and her zeal for life.
I'll be forever grateful to the fates that allowed me to share time on earth with Pat Strickland.
Linda Winters
Morro Bay
lindadwinters@sbcglobal.net
To Pat's beloved family and many friends:
ReplyDeleteMy name is Diane Duenow and it was my distinct pleasure to have known Pat through John XXIII and also at San Luis Obisipo High School. Pat knew of my husband's and my love of Spain and shared many wonderful books and stories with us. I was always impressed with her enormous capacity to retain all that she read and all that she learned and how she loved the L.A. Times! She was a lovely, interesting woman and we shall miss her dearly. See you later, Pat! Diane and Jim
My husband, Bob and I, met Pat during a visit to the Morro Bay Natural History Museum. She was a great docent and, as people do, we got to talking. I and my husband, are both docents for the So. Co. Historical Society, so we had something in common to talk about. Pat told us that she was also a docent at th Old Mission - so that was a second thing we had in common, our religion. She mentioned that she did the flowers in the planters in front of our favorit Village restaurant, Gina's and that Hilary, the owner, was her daughter - a third connection. We spent a pleasant hour just conversing and left feeling that we had added one more friend to our growing "friendship tree"! So long Pat, your smile will linger forever. Bob and Kathleen Sullivan, Arroyo Grande
ReplyDeleteDear Family - These are the times when the decision to move far away is harder than others. Know that you are all in our hearts and minds and we wish we could be with you now.
ReplyDeleteKatie you did an amazing tribute with this blog and yes, we all cried at the last picture - absolutely poignant and so completely right.
Nana was one of Derek's favorite targets for a "zinger", "jab" or generically obnoxious comment. Nana would get flustered, annoyed but always forgive him (she must have learned that skill from being Sue and Hilary mother).
There are few people who completely delight in learning and embrace diversity to the extent that Pat did. Pat's enthusiasm for meeting someone knew from someplace interesting who was doing something cool was a trait to be respected and it enriched all of our lives.
She will be missed. All our love,
Helen, Derek and Emily
TO ALL WHOM PAT LOVED, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, GREAT GRANDMOTHER AND FRIEND WITH ME. I WAS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES TO HAVE WORKED AND PLAYED WITH PAT. I OFTEN FELT AS IF I WERE HAVING A LESSON IN CULTURAL DIVERSITY WHEN I WAS WITH PAT. SHE WAS SO BRIGHT AND FILLED WITH INFORMATION ABOUT SO MANY THINGS. OUR LAST FEW TIMES TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS IN PAIN, PAT WAS STILL TEACHING ME ABOUT MORRO BAY AND TALKING ABOUT STUDENT'S WHO HAD IMPACTED OUR LIVES IN SUCH A POSITIVE WAY. PAT WAS ONE OF A KIND, THE KIND YOU LOVE TO HAVE IN YOUR LIFE. I WILL MISS MY FRIEND BUT SHE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. LOVE TO ALL OF YOU, BARBARA ALEXANDER
ReplyDeleteOh, my. Patsy will surely be missed by many and I definitely include myself in that group. Patsy never failed to have something interesting to talk about on the occasions when I was welcomed into the extended family over the last almost 30 years. Who will I talk politics with now? I'm sorry that Patsy is gone, but I'm thankful, as Katie said, that she didn't suffer long. My love to all of the family. I'll be thinking of you during the "fiesta" next weekend.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Amy (Porinchak) Thornhill
I enjoyed working with Pat at Pacific Shores High School in the South Bay. Her talents came in handy dealing with the special needs students that we worked with on a daily basis. Pat always had kind words for the students and staff. She has added a special light in heaven and is smiling down on all of us. Our love to all her family and friends, John and Marilyn Norris
ReplyDelete