Mom passed away peacefully on March 21, 2019 at the age of 79 with her family by her side, after a sudden and unexpected illness.
She is survived by her son Don Lacey and wife Connie, grandsons Taylor Quinn and Garrett, great-grandchildren Viola and Alo, granddaughter Lacey Gerbrandt, very close sister Norma Wheeler and nieces and nephew Sandy, Sheryl and Brad and step-daughter Michelle Comeau. Pat was predeceased by her son Doug in 1983 and husband Len in 2016.
Pat was born January 27, 1940 and raised in New Westminster by her parents Jack and Irene Rennie. Whenever the Rennie’s family and friends gathered there was always a sing along around the piano. Mom also learned to play and over the years if someone with a guitar showed up – the party just became all the better.
Pat, first husband Frank and boys moved to Loon Lake in 1969 and owned and operated the Wildwood Fishing Resort. Over the following twelve years most of the clientele became annual summer friends due to the excellent experience mom provided, although she did tire of being asked “when are they going to bite?”
After selling the resort the family relocated to Kamloops where Pat worked for the Ministry of Agriculture. Mom loved her job and her “office family”, the many field staff and the customers who wandered in daily with pieces of plants or bugs in jars.
Mom met Len in 1989 and moved to Lee Creek on the Shuswap and were married in Hawaii on Valentines Day in 1991. They were truly a perfect match as they both loved being out on the boat, socializing with friends and travel. Mom was affectionately known as the “cruise queen” and they enjoyed many Caribbean cruises, Panama Canal and Alaska trips as well as many winter weeks basking on the shores of Maui. They relocated to Chase in 2001 and became an active part of the community. Mom and Len had many years of mutual love, caring and support until his passing in 2016.
Mom relocated to Kamloops and lived independently and close by in a home she loved at West Pines, with her new buddy Gulliver the cat. She always had a soft spot for animals. We were very blessed to live near mom and enjoyed daily visits, Sunday dinners and regular outings.
Thank you to all of her long-time and new friends who came to visit and make her days brighter, she truly treasured you all.
Mom suffered for many years with crippling arthritis, but never let that slow her down nor did she ever complain much about it. She never passed up an opportunity to socialize and loved any opportunity to get “all gussied up” (as her dad would say) and always brought a special energy to any event with her humour and laughter. Pat truly was a classy woman that will be missed by many.
Mom we will miss you so much.
Mom and family are sincerely thankful to the many support staff that helped her during her 30 years of rheumatoid arthritis and the wonderful staff at RIH that were so compassionate during her periodic visits and kept her comfortable as she passed.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on June 8, 2019 at the Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Drive. Donations in Pat’s memory may be made to the RIH Foundation.