Patricia (Patti) Arlene Webb

It is with great sadness that the family of Patricia (Patti) Arlene Webb announces her peaceful passing with her family by her side on Monday, December 17, 2018 at LaVerendrye General Hospital in Fort Frances, Ontario at the age of 77 after a short struggle with cancer.

Patti, as she was known to all her friends, was born on April 22, 1941, in Hamilton, Ontario to Hazel and Francis Berry. She shared fond memories of spending time with her Nana and Papa, and Uncle Mel and Aunt Vera Pogson. At a young age her father died in WWII and her mother went on to marry Robert W. Smith. The Smith family moved to Fort Frances, and at the age of 23 Patti and Kathie moved to Fort Frances to be closer to her mom, stepfather and younger siblings Robb and Marilyn. This is where she met Darrell Webb. She started working for Darrell as a housekeeper, cleaning his trailer. She didn’t realize at the time that she was entering into a lifetime job.

Darrell and Patti were married May 19, 1964. In her younger years Mom was an active person, pitching in the women’s baseball league for Nick’s Zoo and bowling with the neighbour ladies. When Dad started to struggle with his arthritis, Mom went to work at Webb’s Wholesale. After Dad retired she went to work at the Tourism/ Blue Water Currency Exchange and also proudly completed her high school diploma. In 2005 Patti was united with her half-brother Dennis Wilson.

Second to her family, her greatest love was reading. Mom always had ten books out from the library and was as excited to finish one as she was to start another. Curiously, she had a love for cookbooks and recipes as well but was not a culinary master. She had a passion for many crafts including ceramics, knitting, plastic canvas and scrapbooking, and it wasn’t enough for her to have a few supplies, she had to have them all. Mom was a bit of a hoarder in that “if Patti didn’t have it, you didn’t need it.”

Patti and Darrell cherished their own little slice of heaven, Ka-Bra-La Island on Footprint Lake. The two of them worked tirelessly on the island; a labour of love. When Mom stopped going to the cabin after Dad passed away, she took up gardening.

Mom had so many friends in the Third Street area. She easily made friends with her neighbours and the coffee was always on at our house. It was difficult for her to move to Columbus Place apartments but again she quickly made friends, even though she didn’t leave her apartment that much, her friends came to her.

Patti was predeceased by her husband Darrell on June 7, 2004, and also by infant daughter Lisa Marie, father Robert Smith, mother Hazel Smith, and brother Douglas Berry.

Patti is survived by her three children, Katharine and her husband, Dr. Robert Nugent, Bradley and his wife Corinne, and Laurie Anne Brown and partner Dave Larocque. Also surviving are her grandchildren, Leslee Crowe and partner Tim Beaulne and children Madelyn Crowe, Timothy, Henry and Annie Beaulne, Clinton Crowe and partner Kayla Smith and children Maiya Crowe, Carson, Jolie and Jaxx Whitecrow and Max Crowe, Logan and Hallee Nugent, Janine Webb and partner Colin Angus, Braden Webb, Austin and Colton Brown, and Gabe and Peyton Larocque. She is also survived by her siblings, Robb and Marilyn Smith and Dennis Wilson, sister-in-law May Berry, aunt Vera Pogson, and cousins Brian and Wayne Pogson, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Friday, December 21, 2018 at 1 p.m. at the Knox United Church in Fort Frances with Pastor Diane Clifford officiating followed by a luncheon in McMillan Hall.

At Patti’s request, cremation has taken place.

In memoriam, donations may be made to the Fort Frances Public Library, the Fort Frances Horticultural Society or the Knox United Church in Fort Frances.