Patricia Donalda (McMillan) White, 77

On Aug. 1, 2015, the dearest of ladies passed from this fair earth with her loving family caring for her. Per her wishes, Patricia was at home in Lakeside under fine hospice and private care. She is dearly missed by everyone who knew her.

Patricia Donalda McMillan was born March 29, 1938, in Regina, Saskatchewan, the only child of loving parents, Violet Ethel Glover and Angus Donald McMillan. Her early life was spent living in Canada, last living in Smithers, British Columbia. During World War II, her father, in his 40s, served as a volunteer in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a telegrapher. Later, they moved to Eugene, Oregon, where her parents opened up a mom-and-pop corner grocery store. Pat graduated from junior high school there and, after her family moved, finished high school in Healdsburg, California, where they started a gift and music store. She became a naturalized American citizen in 1942 at the age of 16. Pat loved to imagine characters for stories and drew them as a young girl. The family still has some of her sketch books.

In junior high and high school, Pat was active with the school paper (writer and editor), as she had been in Eugene. While living in Healdsburg, she worked summers at the Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital as a nurse’s aide and then entered Stanford University in pre-nursing, eventually graduating with honors in their graduate nursing program. Pat worked primarily as an office nurse for two major practices in San Francisco in the early days of her marriage. She also enjoyed experiences in public health medicine and at the Palo Alto TB Sanitarium. She learned to drive a stick-shift car in those days.

While at Stanford, she met a pre-med student named Stewart Andrew White, called Andy, and, in 1960, on a beautiful, sunny morning, they were married.

They raised three sons, Timothy Andrew (born in San Francisco), Michael Sean (born in Sands, Michigan), and Christopher Todd (born in Rochester, Minnesota). Eventually the family moved to Santa Rosa, California, where Andy was in practice for several years. From there the family moved to Tucson, Arizona.

While in Tucson, Pat returned to school, obtaining her Master of Library Science degree at the University of Arizona and her teacher’s credential at a local college. She did some substitute teaching, but far more enjoyed her time spent as a school librarian, setting up her school library’s first computer system, even though she wasn’t overly comfortable with that early technology.

She spent several years as a volunteer storyteller at schools in Anchorage, Alaska, and in Vacaville, California. She last enjoyed sharing stories at the Lakeside Elementary School in Lakeside. She dearly loved children’s books and had an extensive collection of her own. She loved spending her time with children.

Music was her other great interest. While in Canada, she took piano lessons and, at one point, her teacher told the family that Pat had the potential to become a concert pianist. She also accompanied her classmates, playing the piano for a number of their musical performances. She played a classical piece on the local radio station one Saturday morning in Eugene. They recorded it for her. She enjoyed her piano at home in retirement and could read complicated music until illness made it impossible.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, her aunt, Lola, and other Canadian relatives.

She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Andy; her three sons, Timothy of Tucson, Michael of Silver City, New Mexico, and Christopher of Tempe, Arizona; and twin grandsons, Connor and Logan, sons of Christopher and his wife, Kristin; and grandson, Jason, son of Timothy. She still has some remaining cousins in Oregon and other relatives in Canada. She is also survived by her dearest friend, Ayako Kurihara of Vienna, Virginia; her dear sister-in-law by marriage, Ruth McLachlin; of Chico, California; and her friend, Dianne Barske, of Anchorage.

The family wishes to warmly thank those friends and neighbors who have given so generously of their time and skills to make Pat’s final time with us so much better with their gifts of visits, calls, wonderful food, support and caring attentions. Thank you.

The family wishes to thank Home Options Hospice personnel for the kind, gentle care — especially Penny and Sue; and a special thanks to Christine of Home Options Private Care who has been an invaluable support to Pat and her family for the last several, precious years.

At her request, there will be no services. There will be a family celebration of her life at a later date in the Southwest. There is also hope for a celebration in the Flathead Valley area at a later time.

Memorials are suggested to a charity of the donor’s choice. And, please, if you wish, take a moment in your day to kindly remember this sweet, gentle lady. Thank you.

To send a note of condolence to the family, please go to www.buffalohillfh.com. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.