Patricia Lofstedt
Obituary
Born October 12, 1919, Portland, Oregon. Died March 1, 2023, Burien, Washington, age 103. Pat grew up in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Predeceased by husband Art and son Dick. Survived by son John, daughter-in-law Kathy, granddaughter Susan (Jeff), grandson Andrew (Emily) and great grandchildren Juliana and August. Former parish secretary and member of St. Elizabeth Episcopal Church, Burien, since the 1940s. Memorial Service at St. Elizabeth, Saturday, April 8, 2023, 11a.m.
Pat is very dear to my family and we will miss her dearly. My family and I moved to the US in 2003 and Pat became like a grandmother to my 3 siblings and I. She taught English to my mom at St. Elizabeth’s and over the years, has been a part of our lives. Even as we moved away after college, we looked forward to her calls and letters. Sending so much love and peace to her family during this time. Pat will always hold a special place in our hearts and we are thankful for the time we had with her.
Pat was my mother-in-law and truly a mother to me. Her grace, warmth, compassion, joy in life, love of learning, and support for her family—immediate, extended, community, and world—were such an inspiration. She shared the gift of a greeting and smile with everyone. What a precious gift she has been to all of us.
It’s so hard to pay tribute to this remarkable woman in just a few words. My family moved to Burien and began attending St Elizabeth’s in the mid ’50’s. I was a toddler and so Pat has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. She befriended us all – my parents, older sister, and much later, younger brother – who were Michigan transplants thanks to Boeing. She was always there to help any way she could. I lost touch with her as I went out on my own but somehow we reconnected and she remained this steady, loving, caring presence that made me feel so safe, secure and important. I live in the South now and every time we had bad storms – which is a lot – I knew she would call to see if I was OK. How do you suitably thank someone who was always thinking about you and praying for you? I think the best way to honor Pat is to live life the way she lived it: full of faith, caring for others, with impish good humor, well-read, curious about the world and, most importantly, loving unconditionally. I am a better person for knowing Pat and I look forward to hearing her delightful laugh and mischievous viewpoints for eternity. God bless you dear friend.