Mary Patricia "Pat" Pearson Obituary (1931 - 2018)

Our loving mother Mary Patricia Pearson passed away on Oct. 17, 2018. She was born on Aug. 4, 1931, in Helena MT, to Mary and Dan O'Donnell. She moved to Seattle and attended several Catholic schools. She met her future husband, A. Ted Pearson, at a Knights of Columbus dance in high school. They attended Seattle University together and were married in July 1952. She was a devoted and loving wife. Pat and Ted moved to Mercer Island and the children attended St. Monica's Catholic School. Our parents provided wonderful opportunities and activities for their young family. The family later moved to Lake Forest Park where she lived for 45 years and was involved in ministries at St. Mark's Parish. Pat was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ted of 56 years; her son, Neil; and her sisters, Ann O'Donnell and Kathleen Palmer (Martin). Pat is survived by her brother, Dan O'Donnell; daughters, Maureen Cline (Steve), Rita Franzel (Jim), and Ellen Flamiatos (Robert); her son, Edward Pearson (Lucinda); daughter-in-law, Susan McMurry (Paul); sisters-in-law, Sr. Virginia Pearson and Terri O'Donnell; grandchildren: Laura& Emily, Kelsie & Ryan, Jennifer, Daniel & Neil, great-grandmother to five; and has many nieces, nephews and cousins. She has a large extended family in Co. Donegal, Ireland. Pat will always be remembered by her generous spirit, gracious hospitality, her faith,and her smiling Irish eyes. She will be greatly missed by all. Eulogy Read at Mary Patricia's Funeral Mass Thank you everyone for being here today to share this memorial of our mother Mary Patricia. Our loving mother has passed into the arms of Jesus, and is now together with all those she loved who passed before her. We miss her smile and the touch of her hand. We miss her dearly. Our mom Mary Patricia was born on August 4, 1931, in Helena Montana, to Mary Ann Sweeney and Dan O'Donnell. Her brother Dan tells us that Baby Pat spent her first winter snowed-in with her parents at a cabin by a small mine near Marysville Montana. Coyotes on the cabin's roof serenaded them on the cold, clear moonlit nights. Her dad fashioned a sleigh to pull her when they needed to go into town. During the depths of the Great Depression, her parents traveled looking for work. Mom moved in with her grandparents and aunts and had the companionship of her cousins Terry, Eileen, and Neil Baker. At age 12, Pat boarded a train to Seattle with her aunt and her dog to join her parents and younger sisters, Ann and Kathleen. In 1945 her brother Dan was born. Pat attended several Catholic schools making life long friends. In fact, Ruth Blanchett and Ginny Coolen are here today. In the late 1990's, these friends began writing about their adventures as teenagers in high school. Through Mom's stories, we not only found she was an excellent story teller, but was a smart, spunky, fun-loving girl. In one story, she writes of skipping school with her girlfriends on St. Patrick's Day during Lent of 1947, because as she wrote, "How could Irish Monsignor Ryan not declare our holiday. It is an injustice and demands action!" They did feel vindicated when the good Sisters did not impose any penalty on their absence. She remained faithful to celebrating St. Patrick's Day ever since and was a member of the Irish Club. After graduating high school, she and her dear friend, Ann McGee Borg, took a Grey Hound bus across the country to New York City, where they cut a 45 record at the top of the Empire State Building singing," Give My Regards to Broadway." She met her future husband, A. Ted Pearson, at a Knights of Columbus dance in high school. She was immediately the center of Ted's world. They attended Seattle University together and were married in July 1952. Later, Pat and Ted moved to Mercer Island and all five children attended St. Monica's Catholic School. Their shared Catholic faith was very important to them. We are grateful to our parents for being raised with strong Christian values. Our parents were devoted to each other and to our family. They provided wonderful opportunities and activities for their young family. Many weekends included seeing our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins for big family meals and lots of laughter. Many summers we would go to see the O'Donnell relatives in Helena Montana in the big Ford station wagon--5 kids, Puff the standard poodle, and often our Grandma Mary O'Donnell! We loved our trips there, to visit and to run around the very house Mom grew up in. After living in Illinois for three years, the family moved to Lake Forest Park in 1972 where they lived for 45 years. Our parents were involved in ministries here at St. Mark's Parish. Pat was in the Mary, Queen of Angels Guild. Our family has received many sacraments here; and support in times of sorrow as she buried her son, Neil, age 32, and her loving husband, Ted of 56 years. Once her children were in college or married, Mom renewed her artistic talents for sewing, knitting, and mosaic. She and Rita took an egg decorating class especially because we had given Mom a goose. They hand-painted many beautiful designs on Merry Sunshine's eggs. Pat got the travel bug early in life and loved to see new places. She and friend Ruthe drove to Mexico. Granddaughters Laura and Emily, and their mother Susan have wonderful memories and funny stories of their month long trip with Grandma seeing Italy, France, England, and Ireland. Mom and dad also visited Hong Kong and Thailand with Maureen and Steve. For their 25th wedding anniversary, our parents made their first of many trips to Co. Donegal, Ireland. At that time, all of Mom's aunts and uncles were alive and they met numerous cousins. In 2011, granddaughters Jenn and Kelsie got to join their grandma for her 80th birthday celebration at a great Irish pub with most all the Sweeney clan; and as special bonus, also met O'Donnell cousins. She had quite the celebration! Granddaughter Laura shared that Grandma Pat was an example of a strong, independent woman. She felt profoundly lucky to have had her as a role model. Grandma taught her a lot about being a strong, caring and charming woman, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. A sentiment that all of her grandchildren have expressed. Ryan and Stacie Franzel, remember Grandma as the Matriarch to a very supportive, helpful, and strongly connected family. Our Aunt, Sister Virginia Pearson, told us how proud Ted was to show her Pat's pretty picture and announce that she had made her own dress for the dance. She remembers Pat as the best sister-in-law she could ever have. Mom loved when all of us girls would get together, so it was special when we gathered at Terri's for the annual O'Donnell Ladies Christmas party. Then each August, Mom enjoyed the wonderful backyard birthday party hosted by Terri and Dan. My brother-in-law Jim said that in 40 years, he never heard Mom say anything bad about anyone, and that her love of people and compassion was remarkable. We all remember Mom in the kitchen, putting cookies and tea on the table. She wouldn't sit down until everyone else was served, and she was always checking to be sure people were comfortable and that they had everything they needed. She was gracious. Ellen and Robert shared how they loved the way Mom would lift her face to the sun and always with a slight smile. She loved fashion and liked to dress nice. She never wore out a pair of shoes. She loved to eat dinner in their back yard and never turned down a fancy cocktail. She loved having her family and good friends around her. She was always so welcoming of her children's' friends and opened her home to them. Ed and Lucinda have cared for Mom since our father's death 10 years ago. Mom wanted to stay in her home and loved having their company. They have been a true source of support for her physically and emotionally, especially over the past few years. Ellen, Rita, and I are eternally grateful for the love they showed Mom each day. As our family reminisced about Mom, it was clear we could eulogize for hours, sharing the beauty of her life. She will be greatly missed by all, and we thank God for her. Our Sweet Mother will always be remembered for her generous spirit, gracious hospitality, her faith, and her smiling Irish eyes Recitation of Rosary will be Thursday, October 25th at 7 PM at Hoffner Fisher & Harvey Chapel 508 N 36th St, Seattle 98103 Funeral Mass will be Friday, October 26th at 11 AM at St. Mark Catholic Church, 18033 15th Place NE, Shoreline Internment at 1:30 at Holyrood Cemetery Guestbook at harveyfuneral.com To send a flower arrangement in memory of Mary Patricia "Pat" Pearson, please click here to visit our sympathy store.