Patrick Ronald Wennihan

1941 - 2018

In the early hours of February 15th, we lost a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend Patrick Ronald Wennihan passed peacefully at Bakersfield Heart Hospital due to organ failure. He had fought a valiant fight for over three years and God knew it was time for him to become an ambassador in Heaven.

Pat was born on August 5, 1941, in Kanona, Kansas. He was born at home in this little farming community where there was no electricity or running water. His family farmed acres of wheat and raised chickens there until they chose to move to Bakersfield to be nearer extended family when Pat was 12 years old. Pat was the 6th child born to Virgil and Hazel Wennihan.

Basketball was his passion and he learned to shoot the ball through a peach basket which was attached to the barn at his home in Kansas; however, after moving to Bakersfield and enrolling at Emerson Jr. High School he quickly learned that there was no more peach basket and he began his lengthy basketball career. Then on to Bakersfield High School where he met his life-long mentor, Don Harrison. Pat always stated that Coach Harrison was the reason he continued with basketball and a formal education. Two other coaches at BHS who had a tremendous impact on Pat's basketball career were Don Casada and Andy Anderson. After a successful basketball career at BHS, he went to Bakersfield Jr.

College and then onto Cal-State East Bay where his coach, Dr. William Vandenburg, always told him to shoot the ball whenever he got it. His friends always teased him about not being a fast runner or a high jumper but what a shooter!

After college, he returned to Bakersfield and began his lengthy career in teaching. He began at North High School and then went to Shafter High followed by Highland and then onto Cal-State Bakersfield. He then taught history at Lakeside Elementary where he continued to coach. He always had a huge, soft heart for people who were physically or mentally impaired and he worked at BARC until his retirement. His love of sports included coaching both his children, Shawnna and Patrick in a variety of sporting areas as well as grandchildren, Shaffer and Julia while they attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help School. He served on the Athletic Board at Garces Memorial High School and was a member of the Bob Elias Hall of Fame committee. Obviously his love of sports continued throughout his 76 years of life while he and his son traveled to Nebraska attending the football games or watching Duke in basketball.

He loved his family unconditionally and never lost his sense of humor or his passionate dialogues that they be the best they could be under any and all situations. He was an avid reader of historical fiction and non-fiction and one never saw Pat without a book or newspaper by his side. Education was what he instilled in his family and that just because you have a degree does not mean you stop learning.

Pat was preceded death by his parents, Virgil and Hazel Wennihan and siblings: Fred, Mike and Vergie. He will also be joining his in-laws Fred and Barbara Strickler and sister-in-law Mary Kelly. He is survived by three of his siblings: Nadine Wente of Oklahoma, June McGatlin of Washington and Carol Bell of California. He will be sorely missed by his wife of 55 years, Sharron, his daughter Shawnna, son Patrick and wife Tiffany and grandchildren: Tyler, Shaffer, Taylor and Julia and his furry Cocker Spaniels Yoda and Lily. Pat also was extremely close to brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews of the Maitia, Seller and Strickler families.

His family would like to thank Dr. Rajan Goyal, Dr. Jared Salvo, Dr. Emit Shah, the Bakersfield Heart Hospital's emergency and ICU units and Advanced Kidney Medical Group for the loving and gentle kindness they showed Pat and his family during his final days. Health South Rehabilitation Facility and Rosewood Facility became family to all of us. During Pat's last two years, his friend, Leroy Sacchini spent hours with him, both at home and

in hospital rooms doing and talking manly things. Leroy epitomized what God wants a true friend to be like.

Pat would wish donations be made to BARC, Garces Memorial High School or Our Lady of Perpetual Help School rather than flowers as these educational institutions provide compassion, caring and the educational opportunities to become valued citizens of our country.

A celebration of Pat's life will be held at 11 am on Thursday the 22nd of February in The Garden of Serenity Gazebo at Hillcrest Memorial Park and Mortuary 9101 Kern Canyon Road, Bakersfield, CA. Monsignor Craig Harrison will be officiating.