Patricia Niles Smith

“Patty” was born in San Francisco, California to Adelaide MacAlister and John R. Zachary. The family moved back to her father’s home, Oregon, where her siblings John Zachary and Adelaide Zachary were born in Portland. Patty’s mother was born in Ireland and immigrated with her mother, Sarah, and father, Alexander, to California where they operated a grocery store. Patty grew up in Portland during the Great Depression attending Lincoln High School. Following the separation of her mom and dad, she and her siblings entered foster care.

She met and married a returning WW2 soldier, Gaylord Leon Smith Jr. in 1947, in Vancouver, Washington, residing in Vanport. Her husband remained in the military and served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Gaylord returned disabled from Vietnam and she cared for him until his death. During that time Patty earned LPN and RN degrees. She worked as a nurse at Forest Grove Community and Tuality Hospitals until her retirement. She lived in Forest Grove, her ancestor’s and in-law’s hometown, from 1968 until her move to the Dallas Retirement Village in 2018. Patty traces her lineage to Tabitha Brown, the Official Mother of Oregon, and founder of Pacific University.

Patty’s hobbies included reading, sewing, clothes shopping, friendships, oil painting and her pets. Patty is survived by sons, Craig (Deanne) Smith of Salem and Garry (Pam) Smith of Stayton; half-brother, Charles Mayo (OR); and nieces, Brenda Sue Zachary Abbotts (Robert) (NC), Kitty Mayo (OR) and Shayne Keith (Glenn) (WA).

Donations in memory of Patty can be made to: Dallas Retirement Foundation R.A.E. ATTN: Sue Lamb (225 N.W. Jasper St. Dallas, Or 97338); Paralyzed Veterans of America (https://pva.org/) and/or Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon (https://www.feralcats.com/).

There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date.