Whitefish School Board leader dies

Longtime Whitefish School Board member Pat Jarvi died unexpectedly Friday. She was 72.

Jarvi spent 15 years on the school board, serving as chairwoman from 2009 until May this year when the board reorganized. She was re-elected this spring to another three-year term.

During her time on the board the school district dealt with myriad challenges, including the demolition of Central School and construction of Whitefish Middle School on the same site, and the recently completed reconstruction and expansion of Whitefish High School.

“I spent a lot of time with Pat and enjoyed every minute of it,” said Whitefish School Board member Ruth Harrison. “The amazing thing is, I’ve spent hundreds of hours with her and most of it was talking about the progress of the schools and thinking of growing the district.

“She was so willing to take on anything that was for the betterment of the district,” Harrison said. “You could ask her to do anything for the district; if it was appropriate and productive she would do it.”

Longtime school board member Dave Fern served alongside Jarvi during her entire time on the board and lauded her progressive approach to education.

“She was at the forefront of leading the way,” Fern said. “She was well-known and well-appreciated. She was a terrific, dependable friend. She never missed a school board meeting.

Fern said Jarvi’s death leaves a big hole on the board.

“I think Pat really liked the school board. We find our niches in life and she found her niche in local government. It was not always comfortable and hugs and kisses, but she really engaged in the process and challenges.”

During an election interview with the Whitefish Pilot in April, Jarvi herself acknowledged the challenge of the high school project.

“Building the high school was a long and complicated process, and frustrating at times,” she said. “But when you see the product and see the kids in the finished product, it’s well worth all the difficult times and tough decisions. We’ve got a school to be proud of and a staff to be proud of.”

Jarvi worked at the Whitefish City Library for several years before becoming the librarian at both Central School and Whitefish High School. The majority of her librarian career was at Muldown Elementary School, where she was beloved by students. Working with the children at Muldown was the joy of her life and she instilled a love of reading in many of her young students, according to her family.

When she retired in 1997 she continued to volunteer at Muldown.

In October 2014 Jarvi’s commitment to educational leadership was recognized by the Montana School Boards Association, which presented her with a Marvin Heintz Award, an honor given to 10 school board trustees statewide.

Jarvi was very active with education-related activities and organization, but extended her community work to a variety of organizations such as Soroptimist International of Whitefish, Stumptown Historical Society and the Whitefish Library.

“She was such a tireless volunteer,” Harrison said. “And she always, always had the kids’ best interest at heart.”

Jarvi moved with her family to Whitefish when she was 3 and attended school in Whitefish, graduating in 1961. She graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in history with a minor in library science, and earned a master’s in education at UM.

The Whitefish School Board will advertise the vacancy left by Jarvi’s passing, and will take applications and conduct interviews for a one-year interim trustee position. The following year an election will be held for a two-year term, along with elections for the expiring three-year terms in order to keep the trustee positions on the same election cycle, Harrison said.

A memorial service is planned at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at Whitefish High School cafeteria.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.