Patricia Blake Fierro, 82
On June 13, 2017, our beautiful mom, grandma and dear friend died at her home in Bigfork.
Patricia Blake Fierro was born Nov. 8, 1934, in Santa Clara, California, to Frank J. and Alice Roscoe Blake. Her father, a graduate of Harvard Law School, practiced law in San Francisco. He later joined his brother Leslie, as co-publisher of the Santa Clara Journal.
As the youngest of five siblings, “Patty” was the beloved baby of the family. Her brothers Robert, Frank, Tommy and sister Mary Alice preceded her in death.
Patricia married Arthur Fierro in San Jose California in 1953. They had three children; John in 1954, Carole in 1955 and Scott in 1957. Later she and Art divorced.
While raising her three children, she graduated from the University of Santa Clara. She began working for Santa Clara County in 1968 as an accountant for the County Parks and Recreation Department. In the early ‘70s she transferred to Valley Medical Center where she served as assistant personnel officer and employee relations representative. She was appointed deputy county executive for employee relations in 1980, at the age of 46. Her promotion made her one of the highest-ranking women in county government. In 1987, she was named Woman of Achievement in Government and Politics in Santa Clara. That same year, she attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Pat retired in October of 1992 after 24 years of service to Santa Clara County and the state of California. She left her career in public service well-respected and distinguished.
She moved to Bigfork to be close to her family. She loved her life in Montana and rarely missed one of the grandkids football, basketball, volleyball or tennis games. She loved each of her grandchildren as well as her 16 great-grandchildren. She was well-known and adored as “Grandma Pat” by almost everyone who knew her.
She valued education and as a member of the Bigfork School board from 1997 to 2006 she was able to hand four of her grandchildren their high school diplomas. She loved golf, crossword puzzles, Capitola, watching the latest television series, movies, was an avid reader, loved politics and her very special BUGS ladies. She often traveled with her eldest son John and looked forward to “Mom and John’s Great Adventures.” She leaves with each of us her unconditional love, the value of family, her generosity, kindness and wisdom that will be carried on for generations to come.
“To love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever.”
Surviving Pat are her son John Fierro and wife Stacy of Sacramento, California, with grandchildren Hailey and Philip; daughter Carole and husband Larry Hill of Bigfork, and grandchildren Sunny, Lindsay, Jacob and Mitchell; son Scott Fierro and wife Doe of Bigfork, and grandchildren, Josh, Jolene, Alyssa and Kailey; and great-grandchildren, Sydney, Sierra, Stephen, Adler, Blake, Bridger, Bella, Nyla, Taylor, Tucker, Sawyer, Ryker, Navae, Taya, Neriah and Landon.
A celebration of Pat’s life will be held at 5 p.m. July 2 at her home.
Memorials are suggested to be made to either Bigfork Food Bank or Intermountain Children’s Home.