Patricia "Patty" Marie Ritzman

Patricia (Patty) Marie Ritzman, 81, set sail from this life on December 8 to join in heaven her mother and father, and all the friends and relatives who departed before her. A third generation San Franciscan and the daughter of a longshoreman, Patty lived a blessed and extraordinary life that began in the Excelsior District of San Francisco, where she was born and raised. The only child of Assunto Rossi and Grace Marie Nicolini Rossi, Patty was a devout life-long Catholic, attending Sacred Heart Elementary School, St. Paul's High School, and ultimately received a nursing degree from St. Joseph's College of Nursing in 1965. As an only child, Patty's formative years were rooted in a tight knit extended family of proud Italian heritage (especially the adoring Nicolini and Pera aunties - Ida, Rita, Jo and Betty), close childhood friendships, and a doting father. She spent an idyllic childhood helping her father with all of his “side gigs” including raising nightcrawlers for San Francisco’s fishermen at Rossi’s Worm Farm, aka their home’s backyard.

In 1961, while working part time at the original Bank of America building, Patty introduced herself to fellow part-timer Gary Ritzman of Oakland, and after a four-year courtship, the couple celebrated their marriage at the Officer's Club on Treasure Island in 1965. An Army Combat Engineer officer, Gary moved his new bride to Okinawa, Japan, the first of many stops on a multi-decade global tour as a result of Gary's subsequent private sector career with Sea-Land Service. Patty gave birth to three children (Robert in 1966, Lynn in 1968, and Joe in 1970), and the stay-put San Francisco girl eventually found herself raising a family that relocated about every few years. And it was this nomadic existence that opened the door for Patty to touch so many lives with her gift for developing friendships and giving back to the community.

Patty made friends and community in places like Canada, Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan. She loved to volunteer, always finding good causes through her church or children's schools. Working with orphans, aging Nuns and even a stint as volunteer school nurse were among the ways she found to spend her time. Often food was involved in Patty's community outreach, and over the years countless trays of lasagne and pots of minstrione were shared. As time went on, Patty became known for her baking, and cookies of all stripes were her specialty (her Christmas cookies were THE BEST). Patty loved to bake huge batches of cookies and give them away (EVERYBODY received cookies), but above all, she loved to bake cookies with her grandchildren. And when her hand strength faded, Patty switched to making trail mix, and it was rare she left home without a small jar or two to give away. But Patty’s culinary magnum opus was the most delectable Cioppino (a San Francisco invention), which she would craft every Christmas Eve, a tradition that will be carried on by her family forever. 

Patty was a member of the Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club for 30 years. She and Gary cruised extensively on their 40-foot trawler, Dharma, including trips to Desolation Sound, the Broughton Islands, Juneau, Glacier Bay and Barkley Sound.

Preceded in death by beloved son-in-law Jack Smith, she is survived by her loving husband Gary; children Robert, Lynn (Jack) and Joe (Tara), grandchildren Sean (Kenzi), Remi and Kye, and great-grandchildren Hayes and Quinton. Patty will be deeply missed, but her legacy lives on in each of them, and her memory will never be forgotten. 

A Catholic funeral mass for Patty will be held on Saturday January 17, 2026 at 11:00am at Sacred Heart Church (9460 NE 14th Street, Bellevue WA 98004) followed by Celebration of Life at 2:00pm at Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club (9927 Meydenbauer Way SE, Bellevue WA 98004).