Patricia Ann Woodley (78) passed away May 2, 2019, at peace in her Vashon Island haven with her trusty feline companion by her side.
A passionate lifelong learner and educator, Pat was renowned for her humor, integrity, and gracious generosity. Pat was a strong personality, jumping into every endeavor with both feet and her whole heart. Reading, cooking, gardening, and winning at Scrabble were her passions. An intrepid traveler, she was known to set out on impromptu road trips with little more than a toothbrush and a map.
Born in Queens, New York, to Viola and F. Lee Woodley, Patricia was raised on Long Island, graduated from Sacred Heart Academy, joining the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, N.Y. Through the Catholic church, Pat taught in the Bronx during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. After leaving the convent, Pat continued teaching in American Samoa and then pursued further adventures in sheep farming at Walter Peak, New Zealand.
Pat carried her joy and curiosity into her studies at San Jose State in California, Cuernavaca in Mexico, CSU Chico and Harvard University, earning a Master’s degree in Education Communications at Loyola University in New Orleans along the way. Her next career in public television took her from Colorado Springs to Redding, CA, and to a director level position at KCTS Channel 9 in Seattle.
After adopting the Pacific NW as her home Pat joined Windermere Real Estate in the Capitol Hill office where she showed her true stripes by setting the highest bar for dedication to clients and energy put towards mentoring. Pat continued her community building by working with the University District Rotary Club and her leisure hours spent with the Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club.
Preceded in death by her parents and sister Joan, Patricia is survived by her sister Susan Woodley , nephew Timothy Day, niece Alexandra Klein and grandniece Aluel Malek, extended family throughout the Northeast, and a vast network of colleagues, friends, and mentees that she cherished.
The family invites all who wish to celebrate the life of our esteemed exemplar to attend the joyful celebration of her abundant life at her island home: Saturday, May 18th, 8216 SW Quartermaster Dr, Vashon Island 1 P.M – 4 P.M. Remarks at 2 P.M. (Recommended to bring mud shoes for walks on her picturesque beach.)
A Mass will be said in her name at St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill Seattle, time to be acquired.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to:
The Nature Conservancy of Washington State http://www.washingtonnature.org/or to the Vashon Care Network/PO Box 13135/Burton WA 98013.
