Patricia Anne Rice

It was a beautiful summer day, when Pat passed away peacefully at Cottage in the Meadow in Yakima, Washington. Pat was a cancer survivor for 33 years, making the most of her life until cancer returned in 2019.

Pat is preceded in death by her parents, Thelma and Emery Ricketts, sister, Sonya and her infant great grandson, Liam.

Pat is survived by her 3 daughters, Charlotte Ranalli (Canton, Ohio), Catherine (Cathy) Abel (Louisville, Ohio) and Christine Rice (Yakima, Washington); sisters and brothers, Yvonne Poston (Spokane), Adrian Ricketts (Seattle), Howard Ricketts (Fox Island), Loretta Moore (Hamilton, MT) and Carly Enlund (Spokane). She has 8 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren all residing in Ohio, and more than a dozen nieces and nephews.

Pat said her greatest accomplishment was her 3 girls- whom she loved dearly. Pat graduated from high school and had college courses working toward her Bachelors in Nursing, and was a diploma licensed practical nurse (LPN). She earned her LPN in her 40’s and went on to work as a nurse in a variety of setting, retiring at 70.

After her retirement, she moved back to Washington from Ohio because of her love of the Pacific Northwest and a desire to spend time with her sisters and brothers. In retirement, she quit smoking and took up walking. Pat participated in 10 Bloomsday Races, her last Bloomsday was in May, 2019. Her last race was the Merrie Mile in Honolulu, Hawaii in December, 2019 which was remarkable considering she had just been released from the hospital with renal failure, 7 days before the event. Being ever competitive, she placed in her age category from age 70 until her last race at age 85.

Pat was an accomplished seamstress and quilter. She volunteered her time and talents to sew for the NorthStar Lymphedema program until she became legally blind. Pat enjoyed knitting and crocheting and made hats for NorthStar cancer patients.

Pat had a green thumb and really enjoyed gardening and was able to rehab any ailing houseplant. She loved growing pumpkins and carving them for Halloween.

Pat enjoyed warm weather and thoroughly loved the Hawaiian culture and islands. She was able to travel to Hawaii 4 times during her life. Pat enjoyed traveling and was always ready to go on trips and try new adventures.

What mom wanted you to know is that she does not want you to be sad that she passed away. She embraced her life and continued to love and care for family, friends and her pets until the end. She asked if you smoke, to stop now…and to become active- take up walking.

Charlotte, Cathy and Christine leave you with this poem…

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me

When tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand. That an angel came and called my

name and took me by the hand; the angel said my place was ready, in Heaven far above, and that I’d have to leave behind, all those I deeply love. But when I walked through Heaven’s Gates, I felt so much at home, for God looked down, smiled at me, and told me “Welcome Home.”

So when tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we’re far apart, for every time you think of me, I’m right there in your heart.

Author unknown

We are pretty sure Mom is actively organizing things in heaven.

In lieu of flowers, Mom would like you to donate to your favorite charity or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The Memorial Foundation, Humane Society, or The Yakima Greenway.