Patricia May “Pat” Cotterell Erickson passed away on January 17, 2022. She was born on May 25, 1927 to Newell Joseph and Louise Burt Swenson Cotterell in Chicago, Illinois. Pat was raised in Salt Lake City and attended East High School and the University of Utah, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and a Minor in French. She married William Edward Hunter, Jr. in the Salt Lake Temple in 1949 and they had four children. They lived in the Los Angeles, California area and later moved to Salt Lake City, after which they were divorced. Pat was thrilled to meet and marry Ree Barrus Erickson in the Logan Utah Temple in 1962. They had one daughter.
Pat worked in the Granite School District for nearly 30 years teaching special education, developing special projects including the innovative Blue Room at Meadow Moor elementary, and in administration as the District Learning Disabilities Coordinator. She had a gift for teaching children of all abilities and her excellence was recognized locally and nationally.
Pat had a great love of music and a beautiful soprano voice. She sang professionally during her college years, in the Southern California Mormon Choir, and for many other occasions. She had a firm testimony of Jesus Christ and her callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were usually music related. She encouraged music in her home and with her extended family, often organizing sing-a-longs at Christmas. Pat also enjoyed entertaining and served many memorable meals for family and friends. She loved flowers and had a beautiful garden in her front yard.
Ree and Pat built a cabin overlooking Bear Lake, with logs they harvested in Star Valley, Wyoming. They spent many happy hours making improvements on the cabin, enjoying boating on the lake in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter, and generously sharing these activities with family and friends. Pat also loved Disneyland and would use any excuse to go! She is dearly loved and will be deeply missed.
Pat is survived by her children, William “Bill” (Laraine) Hunter, Wendy (Daniel, deceased) McAllister, Deborah (Kent) Bowman, Martha (Greg Ratliff) Whitney, Pam (David) West; 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ree, and had been looking forward to a joyful reunion with him! A graveside service with immediate family was held.
