Pat Wilcomb, 77

Pat Wilcomb, a longtime Whitefish resident, passed away Saturday morning, July 21, 2007, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center after a brief illness.

She was born Feb. 24, 1930, and raised in Havre, the youngest of 12 children to Andrew and Magdeline McGuinn.

Pat married Jesse Wilcomb in 1950, and they followed Jesse's teaching career on a tour of Montana - Missoula, Dixon, Sand Coulee, Frenchtown and eventually to Whitefish in 1961 with four sons in tow.

She worked 20 years for the Great Northern Railroad as a payroll clerk. In her "spare" time, she was a secretary for the Whitefish Planning Department, involved in various community activities and always had a warm meal on the dinner table.

Pat discovered golf in Whitefish and pursued the sport passionately throughout her life. After her boys were raised, she and Jesse spent many winters in Hawaii. She was more than a tourist and immersed herself in the local culture.

Everywhere she went, Mom seemed to know everybody - organizing, getting people together and simply helping.

Her flower garden was beautiful, and her vegetable garden fed not only family, but friends as well.

She was the fun Grandma with a basement full of Barbie stuff and a drawer full of candy bars for her nine granddaughters. She will be missed by all her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Jesse; and her parents; and eight siblings.

She is survived by four sons: Mike (wife, Graziella) in Townsend, Mass., Ric (wife, Claudia) in Missoula, Brian (wife, Jennifer) in Louisville, Colo., and Shaun (wife, Kris) in Whitefish; nine granddaughters; five great-grandchildren; a brother, Joe McGuinn in Portland, and a brother, Chuck McGuinn in Seattle; and a sister, Ann Henson, in Seattle.

A memorial funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 25, 2007, at the St. Charles Boromeo Catholic Church in Whitefish, with Father Miller of Columbia Falls officiating.

Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish is in charge of arrangements.