Patricia Ryan Vila

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Patricia (Pat) Ryan Vila, our loving and devoted mother and friend to all whose lives she touched, on March 18, 2019. She died of natural causes, with her family by her side, at her home in West Valley City, Utah.

Pat was born in Trinidad, Colorado, to Laura Merle Ryan and Michael Ryan. She graduated from Cedaredge High School in 1944, and moved to Salt Lake City soon afterward to live with her sister, Margaret Ashurst. She got a job working as a clerk at the National Biscuit Company (Nabisco), and commuted to work each day by trolley car.

Pat met James (Jim) Joseph Vila, a World War II veteran, on a blind date in March of 1946. He, too, was new to Salt Lake City, and despite the fact that he was from New York City and she was from a small town in Colorado, they found that they had a lot in common. They fell in love quickly and were married on April 10, 1946. Their complementary differences helped them build a marriage that flourished until Jim’s death nearly six decades later.

Miraculously, Pat is survived by all of us (her five adventurous children): Bryan (Cynthia), Larry, Mary Ann, Candy, and Eilene (Mike). She is also survived by her brother, Roger Ryan; grandchildren Chris, Darren, Danielle and Stephen; as well as by many step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved dearly. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jim, and grandson Brendan.

Family, community and friends were very important to Pat. We, and many others, will always remember her for her kindness, optimism, and willingness to lend a hand whenever someone needed help. She taught us to value connection and compromise, to love one another, to live by the golden rule, and that some things are better left unsaid.

Always a country girl at heart, she was unfazed when as kids we would bring home frogs and snakes and other creepy critters hoping to elicit at least an “Eek!” from her. Instead, she would pick them up and say, “Oh, isn’t that interesting?” It was that attitude that helped trigger a lifelong interest in learning among all of us.

Pat was also an avid reader who passed her love of books on to us, along with the ability to make the best of bad situations, and to solve problems on our own. “Just go work it out” and “You kids get along!” were oft-heard phrases in our house while we were growing up.

Pat was a charter member of Westvale Presbyterian Church and an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She is a past Worthy Matron and lifetime member of the Order of Eastern Star (Adah Chapter). She was also a longtime member of PEO.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Friday, March 22, at Valley View Memorial Park and Funeral Home in West Valley City, Utah, after which Pat will be laid to rest next to Jim.

The family wishes to thank the caregivers from Intermountain Hospice as well as her church family, extended family and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church in Pat’s memory.