Patricia "Patti" Scobie Francis

Patricia “Patti” Scobie Francis, 86, of Cayce, South Carolina, passed away on September 8, 2026. Born on July 2, 1940, in Miami, Florida, Patti was immediately adopted by George and Alice (Knox) Scobie and raised in East Aurora, New York. She graduated in 1958 from East Aurora High School.

Patti will be remembered with deep affection as a beloved and cherished presence—devoted to her family, thoughtful in the ways she showed love, and generous with both her time and her gifts. Her warmth often arrived with a touch of humor, and her steady kindness was felt most in the everyday moments she made special for others.

A visitation will be held at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home - West Columbia Chapel, 820 West Dunbar Road, West Columbia, SC 29170, on September 13, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. A funeral service will be held at Cayce United Methodist Church, 1600 12th Street, Cayce, SC 29033, on September 14, 2026, at 1:00 pm.

Patti’s life was rich with the quiet artistry of a true homemaker and the generous spirit of someone who loved to care for others. An avid baker, she supplied cakes, cookies, and her famous cheese wafers to church functions, family and friends’ birthdays, and weddings. She also enjoyed painting and crocheting, and her hands were rarely still—sewing, crocheting and knitting, always creating something useful, beautiful, or comforting. She loved reading, treasured time at the beach, and delighted in traveling. She also gave her time as a Girl Scout leader, an active PTA member, and a member of the Palmetto Skate Club.

A long-time member of Cayce United Methodist Church, Patti served faithfully as literature secretary and as a member of United Methodist Women, where she was named UMW Woman of the Year in 2019. She taught Sunday school for decades, shaping lives with patience and care. As a member of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, she went on several mission trips around the world, serving those in need with a selfless heart. She also served as a census taker twice—another example of how naturally she stepped forward when something needed doing.

At home and among friends, Patti’s love was practical, attentive, and constant. She freely gave her time to help others and was known for meals that became family legends—world’s best lasagna, spaghetti, flank steak, baked beans, stuffing, and shrimp salad—along with the baking that so often marked celebrations. She always remembered your birthday, and her generosity endured even in lean seasons. Fiercely protective of her family, she loved with a steady devotion that made others feel safe and seen.

Patti was married to Henning von Arnim, with whom she had four children: Tod (Wendy) Arnim, Dawn von Arnim (Shane McCrae), Becca Clark, and Alice (Derek) Barker. Her grandchildren are Sierra and Gavin Clark, and Evan, Sam, and Ginger Barker. She was also happily married to the love of her life, Richard Francis (deceased 2017). In recent years, she enjoyed getting to know her recently-discovered biological sisters, Cathy Caron DeBoer and Terri Palmer Shockley. She was preceded in death by her sister, Beverly Scobie.

In the words that so often closed her days and comforted those she loved: “Sweet dreams, happy dreams, love you, and nite nite.” And as her family so tenderly put it, she was “the kindest, mom-est mom that ever mommed.”