Service: Her memorial service will be at 2 PM Saturday, Nov. 2, at Canton Lutheran Church. Burial will be at 1 PM at Forest Hill Cemetery near Canton.

Patricia Stubsten, 85, passed away at home on October 26, 2013 from pulmonary fibrosis with her children at her side.  She courageously lived with pulmonary fibrosis for the past two years.

 Pat was born on May 10, 1928 to Raymond and Florence Madson in Banning,California.  She lived in southernCaliforniauntil the summer of 1941 when she moved with her parents, older brother and younger sister to thePortlandarea.  After graduating fromGreshamHigh Schoolin 1946 she worked as a secretary for Blitz-Weinhard.  She met her future husband, Donald Stubsten, at a USO dance inPortlandwhen Don was in the Air Force stationed at Tillamook.  Don and Pat were married on November 25, 1955 in Don’s home town ofCanton,South Dakota.

 Don and Pat have two children, Pam and Doug.  Don and Pat moved often in the early years of marriage, always heading west, as Don changed hospital administrator jobs living in South Dakota,Minnesota,Idaho, and finally settling inWashingtonStatein 1968.  Pat embraced her role as a homemaker and also worked part time at local newspapers once her children were in school.

 Don and Pat retired to Enumclaw from Ilwaco in 1989 and then relocated toEverettin 2005 to be closer their children.  Pat was always an active member of her local Lutheran church.  In her retirement years Pat loved spending time with family, reading, gardening, traveling, crossword puzzles, keeping the hummingbirds fed and devoting countless hours to cutting squares and sewing hundreds of quilt tops for Lutheran World Relief. 

 Don preceded Pat in death in 2009 after 53 years of marriage.  After Don’s death Pat had had numerous health issues but dealt with each courageously without complaining.  For the past year of her life she had two gifted twenty four hour caregivers, Cynthia and Terri.  With their help, and the support of Providence Hospice, she was able to stay in her own home. 

 Pat is survived by her daughter, Pam Stubsten and her husband Frank Wichman; son Doug and wife Rebecca; two grandsons Nathaniel Wichman and Colin Stubsten; and one sister, Rosemary Rand ofPortland. 

 A memorial service will be held atCantonLutheranChurchinCanton,South Dakota, on November 2, 2013, at 2 p.m. preceded by internment at Forest Hill Cemetery beside her husband, Don at 1 p.m.