Patricia Anne Rivette

Patricia Anne Yates Rivette passed away peacefully at her home in Pebble Beach, California, on March 31, 2016, three weeks shy of her 86th birthday. She was predeceased by her husband, Gerard Bertram Rivette (Gerry), a corporate executive and founder of Conergics, Inc., who died in 2003.

She is survived by her sons, Kevin Gerard Rivette (Dorothy), of Portola Valley, California, and Brian Yates Rivette (David Roman Renner) of Salt Lake City, and her grandchildren, Spencer G. Rivette of Boulder Creek, California and Elizabeth R. Rivette of Portola Valley.

Pat grew up in Syracuse, New York, the daughter of Kenneth and Viola Yates, and was married in June 1953. Pat, Gerry and the boys lived in New York, Montreal and Kansas City as Gerry’s role as President of Hewitt-Robins (Canada) and other firms expanded.

While in Kansas City, Pat was affiliated with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, took a leadership role with volunteers in the Mental Health Association of the Heartland and established the Gerard B. and Patricia Y. Rivette Visiting Scholars Program through the Women’s Center of the University of Missouri Kansas City. She also co-founded The Watering Hole, a beloved group of friends who met weekly for decades. Pat founded and ran Ancient Dynasty Art, which specialized in Chinese artifacts she imported after extensive travels in Asia. Pat loved to travel, to study eastern religions and culture, to practice yoga and to meditate.

Pat welcomed any form of intellectual debate and was often the first to challenge others in a discussion.

After retiring to Pebble Beach in 1988, Pat and Gerry continued to travel widely and enjoy entertaining while Gerry served as chairman of the board of the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Pat will be deeply missed.