Obituary for Patricia J. "Pat" Francis
Patricia Jean Francis, 77, of Asotin, passed away suddenly at her home Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, of natural causes. Patricia “Pat” was born in Marshall, Mo., on Feb. 3, 1945, to Lyman and Esther Gore Francis. At the time of her birth, Lyman was serving in World War II and she was nearly 2 years old, when she saw her father for the first time.
Pat spent her formative years in Pullman, where Lyman taught engineering at Washington State University while Esther was a full-time homemaker to Pat and her four younger siblings. Pat graduated from high school in Pullman in 1963. When the family moved to Missouri later that year, she began attending college at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo. She earned a bachelor’s degree and was employed as a social worker in Missouri for a few years, before moving back to the Lewiston-Clarkston area in 1970. She continued her career in social work until her retirement at the age of 55.
Pat met Janet Rose Klatt when they were both competing in a pool league and they fell in love and formed a domestic partnership, enjoying a 41-year relationship together, until Jan’s passing in December of 2021.
Pat was a true adventurer. She loved fishing, camping, rafting, bicycling, kayaking, snowmobiling and just about anything else having to do with the outdoors. With a few friends, she built a log cabin from scratch in the Craig mountains in Idaho as a weekend retreat, and her entire extended family enjoyed many fine times there. Several years later, she sold that property and bought an RV, later trading up to a cabin on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Pat always wanted to be spending her free time in the outdoors. She loved Scottie dogs and she had five of them in her adult life, one after the other and all but one named MacGruder. But few things could compete with her beloved Seahawks and Mariners. During the COVID-19 times, if you looked very closely, you could see cardboard cutouts of Pat and Jan in the stands during Mariners games.
In her youth, Pat was a fine musician, until rheumatoid arthritis robbed her of the ability to play guitar and anything else that required finger dexterity. Although that terrible disease would completely ruin the joints in her fingers and toes, Pat refused to let the disease define her, and she remained one of the most positive, happy, joyful people one could ever hope to meet. She was active in her church, the United Methodist Church of Asotin.
Pat was an inspiration to all around her and will be sorely missed by her many friends and family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lyman and Esther Francis, her partner, Jan Klatt, and one brother, James Francis. She is survived by sisters Kaye Francis (and spouse Clif White) and Janet Short (and spouse Gene Short), brother John Francis (and spouse Lorie Francis), a sister-in-law, Bonnie Francis, and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 11, at the United Methodist Church of Asotin, 313 Second St., Asotin.
Merchant Funeral Home of Clarkston is in charge of arrangements.
Pat spent her formative years in Pullman, where Lyman taught engineering at Washington State University while Esther was a full-time homemaker to Pat and her four younger siblings. Pat graduated from high school in Pullman in 1963. When the family moved to Missouri later that year, she began attending college at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Mo. She earned a bachelor’s degree and was employed as a social worker in Missouri for a few years, before moving back to the Lewiston-Clarkston area in 1970. She continued her career in social work until her retirement at the age of 55.
Pat met Janet Rose Klatt when they were both competing in a pool league and they fell in love and formed a domestic partnership, enjoying a 41-year relationship together, until Jan’s passing in December of 2021.
Pat was a true adventurer. She loved fishing, camping, rafting, bicycling, kayaking, snowmobiling and just about anything else having to do with the outdoors. With a few friends, she built a log cabin from scratch in the Craig mountains in Idaho as a weekend retreat, and her entire extended family enjoyed many fine times there. Several years later, she sold that property and bought an RV, later trading up to a cabin on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Pat always wanted to be spending her free time in the outdoors. She loved Scottie dogs and she had five of them in her adult life, one after the other and all but one named MacGruder. But few things could compete with her beloved Seahawks and Mariners. During the COVID-19 times, if you looked very closely, you could see cardboard cutouts of Pat and Jan in the stands during Mariners games.
In her youth, Pat was a fine musician, until rheumatoid arthritis robbed her of the ability to play guitar and anything else that required finger dexterity. Although that terrible disease would completely ruin the joints in her fingers and toes, Pat refused to let the disease define her, and she remained one of the most positive, happy, joyful people one could ever hope to meet. She was active in her church, the United Methodist Church of Asotin.
Pat was an inspiration to all around her and will be sorely missed by her many friends and family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lyman and Esther Francis, her partner, Jan Klatt, and one brother, James Francis. She is survived by sisters Kaye Francis (and spouse Clif White) and Janet Short (and spouse Gene Short), brother John Francis (and spouse Lorie Francis), a sister-in-law, Bonnie Francis, and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 11, at the United Methodist Church of Asotin, 313 Second St., Asotin.
Merchant Funeral Home of Clarkston is in charge of arrangements.