Patricia Fay Anderson

My sister Patty was born at 1:48pm on May 13, 1947 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Long Beach, CA to Theodore and Margaret Jean Anderson. Dad had just started working at Coca Cola as a “Testing Man”, Mom had gone back to being a homemaker after working for the Navy during World War II. Patty was apparently a bit reluctant to enter this world since my mother labored over 26 hours.

In 1955, Dad and Mom bought their first home in the new community of Garden Grove, CA; moving their 8-year-old daughter and new 6-month-old son. Being a fast-growing area in post-WWII California, Patty attended several schools, which I imagine would have been difficult. She started at Crosby Elementary, but then moved to the new C.C. Violette Elementary. After Walton Intermediate, she advanced to Garden Grove High School but again was transferred to the new Santiago High School, graduating in 1964.

Work life started early for Patty. She started waitressing at 14 at Gregg’s Root Beer; the hamburger shop our mother had bought the year before. Diner life wasn’t fit to be her long-term career, and by 21 she launched into her time with American Airlines. She started in telephone reservations and sales – the first of several roles she would have at a company she would loyally serve for 34 years.

Clearly her occupation lit a vocational fire in her soul for travel and adventure. Safari in Africa, trekking in Nepal, cruises throughout Europe, the Pacific, and even Antarctica to name just a few. She found such joy in sharing these times with those around her. Travel with Carl and his family, her nieces Casey and Aly, all of her dear friends, even RV camping with mom and dad, the aunts, uncles and cousins – they all brought her the most important times of life. One of my favorite memories of travel with Patty was when she went with Kristie, my girls and me to a family reunion in Minnesota. We’d flown to Minneapolis and Carl (who worked for Marriott at the time) arranged for us to have a suite at the airport Marriott before driving to Nevis, MN for the reunion. Four-year-old daughter Casey was very impressed with the suite. Now, Nevis is a small town in the lakes district of MN. The only accommodations are a VERY dated fisherman’s motel – complete with old worn wood paneling, green shag carpeting, and that faint musty smell that leaves an imprint on your memory. Patty and Casey were the first two in the room. Casey looked around, turned to her Aunt Patty and said: “well, this ain’t no Marriott!” Patty could barely breathe, she was laughing so hard.

Patty Anderson was a lot of things in life: first a Daughter, a Sister, a Cousin and Aunt- but she was so much more. A surrogate and adopted Mother and Grandmother, Partner, Caretaker, Provider, Supporter, Therapist (taking phone appointments long before the pandemic forced licensed therapists to do the same); the Dearest of Friends and Confidantes.

Patty, you know I love you to the moon and back. I also know you don't want me to be in such pain but I can't believe you are gone from my present life; but I look forward to our reunion someday in the next.