Patricia Pat Marie Harrington McLaughlin

Patricia was born in San Diego on Oct. 30, 1931 to parents Guy and Pearl Harrington. Her childhood years were spent in Mission Bay, Sunnyside, and Chula Vista where her father was Treasurer of Rohr Aircraft Corporation. As a young girl, she was an avid sailor; competing alongside her father in Star sailboat races off the coast of San Diego.

She attended Sweetwater High School until it split, then attended the newly formed Chula Vista High School, as a junior and senior. In those days, school was held in Quonset huts located at Brown Field, because no building or classrooms had been constructed. Patricia was a member of the majorette corps and can be seen on the front cover of the book “Images of America – Chula Vista”.

On September 10, 1950, Patricia married Edward Anthony White at the Little Chapel of the Roses in Glen Abbey Memorial Park, Bonita. They started a family in 1952 with the birth of their daughter Pamela, followed by daughter, Penelope (Penny) in 1953. Before the birth of third daughter, Patryce, in 1956 they moved from Fig Street in Chula Vista to Bonita, up on the “Mesa”.

While raising her 3 daughters, Patricia was active in the Chula Vista Junior Chamber of Commerce (the Jay-cees) and Ella B. Allen School PTA. It was not usual finding her down at Bradley Stables picking up kids from riding lessons or feeding the horse. She also bred Collie’s for a period of time at the home built overlooking the old Sweetwater Little League field, now the site of Plaza Bonita.

As the girls got older, Patricia wrote a column, “In the Bonita Valley”, for the Chula Vista Star News in the 1960’s where she not only reported on community events, births, and social-happenings, but she would also add humorous stories about her family’s antics where no one was spared – not even her father. She was the “Erma Bombeck” of her time. (Growing up with Mom meant having to recite the phrase, “dear, sweet adorable, young, glamorous, that we love very much, mother dear”, whenever we asked for something. That phrase we’ll always be a symbol of not only her sense of humor, but our love for her.)

In 1968, Patricia and her girls moved to Carlsbad. She resided in Oceanside, then Vista until her passing.

Her passion for the newspaper business led Patricia to become co-owner of Greenwood and McLaughlin, a company that owned the “Builder’s Guide”, a construction industry newspaper page contracted through McGraw-Hill to sell advertising space for newspapers in San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, and New York.

During her retirement years, Patricia enjoyed taking trips to Asia, Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Mackinaw Island, and most recently, Solvang. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and, when she wasn’t busy, she helped daughter, Pam, provide respite care for foster babies. She was also active in the Encinitas Optimist Club where she was a two-time President and her favorite charities included Compassion International, Child Fund USA and Smile Train.

Along with many friends, Patricia is survived by her three daughters, Pamela White of Vista, Penny Sandifer, and Patryce (Steve) Jensen of Oceanside, grandchildren Heather Sandifer Rios (Carlos), Matthew Sandifer (Jenny Ramos), Katelyn Jensen, and Lindsey Jensen, four great grandchildren - Brandon, Michael, and Jadeyn Sandifer and Xavier Rios, and her sister, Janice Harrington.

Please join us as we celebrate Patricia’s life and share our memories at an open house to be held on February 22, 2014 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at 2231 Galvani Lane, Vista.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made in Patricia’s honor to Smile Train, PO Box 96231, Washington, D.C. 20090-6231 or by phone at 1-800-932-9541.

Arrangements under the direction of Greenwood Memorial Park.