Patricia Maria (Ballew) O'Handley
June 17, 1948 - October 15, 2017
Pat was born in Nuremberg, Germany on June 17, 1948. She lived the life of an American "army brat" before settling back in Germany for many years.
After a whirlwind romance, she landed here on the West Coast where she raised her family and remained for the rest of her life.
She leaves behind her daughter, Leona Milne (Garrett), her son Matthew (Sasha) and her grandchildren (Abygail, Connor, Alexandra, Thomas and Brooklyn).
Our Mom had a fantastic sense of adventure and was not afraid to take chances. Perhaps one of her greatest adventures was her beloved shop. The Bed and Bath Shoppe was her dream come true. She had impeccable taste and a knack for creating beautiful spaces.
Mom loved to be involved in the community and through the years was a part of numerous groups: Crimestoppers, C.O.P.S., the Chamber of Commerce, and more.
Through her work at the Superstore, Mom made many wonderful friends. She was a big-hearted and compassionate person, always willing to give the shirt off her back to someone in need. For years, she took in various foster children as well as children in distress. She treated every child in her home like family, and would go the extra mile to ensure that they were safe, clothed, and well fed.
Mom was an avid Scrabble player: one of the most familiar scenes of her home would be a Scrabble board sitting on the dining room table, well-worn dictionaries waiting for a challenge, and the cheerful sounds of friendly banter.
Mom instilled in us a great sense of appreciation for nature and beauty in the everyday. If you had the pleasure of meeting her, you would know the heart of gold that she is remembered for. She was a beautiful and strong woman.
There will be no service as per her request.
In lieu of flowers, Mom would have loved donations to Ovarian Cancer research or the SPCA, as she loved animals a lot.