PATRICIA E. SMEDLEY

SMEDLEY, PATRICIA E. July 8, 1927 to November 30, 2010 Born in Portland, Oregon, and raised in California, Pat met Don Smedley at a New Year's Eve party at the El Cortez Hotel. In 1949, she married him and then helped him to finish law school at Boalt Hall in Berkeley. The couple settled in Pt. Loma in 1951, Don to his law practice at Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye and Pat to begin raising their two children, Laurel and David. When the children were 1 and 3, Don was stricken with polio. He spent the next two years in hospitals, but afterward, returned home to resume his law career despite being paralyzed from the neck down. Pat helped care for him and ran the household while working full-time as a legal secretary. Pat graduated a year early from Kearny High School, started college at UCLA, and then finished at SDSU with a BA in drama and English (a member of Phi Sigma Nu sorority). She was generous, a whiz at crossword puzzles, a remarkable dancer and loved to read. In her younger years, Pat was actively involved in the Sunset View Elementary PTA and the March of Dimes and was a block captain for her neighborhood. Pat was a loving grandma to Nico, Ben and Becca Smedley. She was predeceased by her husband Don and daughter Laurie. In addition to her grandchildren, Pat is survived by her son David Smedley (daughter-in-law Tracey) of San Diego, brother Doug Smithers of Northern California and nieces and nephews in the San Diego area. Donations may be made to the Point Loma Hervey Public Library.