Patti A. Guerin

To Patti, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Patti, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye, with just those simple gestures she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Patti really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Patti was born on April 20, 1952 at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her parents were Gaston Paul Poche and Barbara Darlene Poche. Patti relocated several times because her dad was in the Military. Even as a child, Patti had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention.

Always a good playmate, Patti was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Patti managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Patti was raised with two siblings. She had older brother Paul and younger sister Terri.

Patti simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. Since experience was Patti's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Patti attended Rancho High School and graduated from Vo-Tech in 1970.

Patti never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Patti to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Patti was always right at home among her friends. Patti utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Later in life, she became friends with Robyn Waite, Joyce Berry and many many other friends. Patti loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Patti very easy to approach. On September 26, 1970 Patti exchanged wedding vows with Michael Francisco Guerin at St. Christopher's Catholic Church of North Las Vegas, Nevada. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Patti was blessed with three children, Michael, David and Julie. They were also blessed with four grandchildren, Jonathan (Corianne), Kaitlyn, David Jr, Logan. Patti had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play.

At work, as in life, Patti was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Patti liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Patti was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Patti's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Patti as an excellent problem solver. She was employed for a total of 31 years by Clark County School District. During those years she worked in Food Service as a Senior Food Service Worker and in the front office as an Elementary School Clerk.

Patti enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various activities. Her favorite activities included shopping, watching Disney Channel, watching movies, going out to restaurants and word searches.

Patti was excited to watch her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren play various sports. Patti enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were Dallas Cowboys Football.

Patti had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Patti's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. Throughout her years, Patti was an active member of Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, LDS Achievement Days and PTA.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Patti recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During that time, she was active in scouting, achievement days and primary.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Patti was regularly doing things for others. For her, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though she never set out to gain individual recognition, Patti was given accolades for her many accomplishments throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included Silver Beaver and Women in Scouting.

It is no surprise that she loved to travel and visit new and different places. Favorite vacations included cruising, trips to Hawaii, Disneyland and anywhere with her family.

Patti was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. Patti was a lover of desert tortoises and several dogs throughout the years including Snowflake and Tiffany. She loved her grand-puppies Rainbow, Marshmallow, Simba and Koda.

Patti believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2014, Patti took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Patti remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in spending time with her family and friends, traveling and doing word searches. Even in retirement, Patti continued to stay in touch with her old friends and since she'd never met a stranger she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Patti passed away on January 31, 2018 at Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. Patti passed away from natural causes after a lengthy battle with health issues. She is survived by her children Michael (Lisa), David, Julie (John), grandchildren Jonathan (Corianne), Kaitlyn, David Jr, Logan; great grandchildren Everett and Sadie; sister Terri. Services were held at Palm Downtown Mortuary. Patti was laid to rest in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, Nevada.

Patti brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Patti lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.