Patricia Lamb Wylie

Patricia Lamb Wylie passed away in her home Tuesday, March 29, 2011, surrounded by her family. She was born March 12, 1948 in Gainsboro, Tennessee, the daughter of the late Sherman Dyer and Lucy Mabrey Lamb. Patti married Doug Wylie on December 13, 1970, and they shared 40 wonderful years together. They had three children, Mary Lu Bushnell (James) of Phoenix, Arizona, Ruth Lorraine Wylie of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Frank Samuel Wylie III of Tucson, Arizona. Patti is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, where she earned both her bachelor's degree (1970) and master's degree (1974). She received her doctorate from Northern Arizona University in 1999. Patti's passion was her love of people. She worked at the University of Arizona for 23 years and was honored with the Billy Joe Varney Award of Excellence in 1996. She was committed to helping students, especially those returning to school and those needing extra support and encouragement. She truly exemplified her life's motto: "Become the Most Positive and Enthusiastic Person You Know." She loved photography, studying Spanish, and she never forgot a birthday. She especially treasured spending time with her grandson, Noah. Patti was a dedicated athlete. She climbed Picacho Peak twice and was frequently seen on the tennis court, racquetball court, and in her favorite gym in town, BodyBasics. Last year she completed the BodyBasics Cardio Star Chart and walked the equivalent of Route 66 in its entirety from Tucson to Chicago (2,450 miles!). She was also an avid traveler and always had a great sense of adventure. Patti had a goal of visiting all 50 State Houses and was over half way there, having visited 31. In addition, some of her favorite travel memories were climbing the Great Wall of China, parasailing in Mexico, hiking Preikestolen in Norway, riding camels in Egypt, and she looked forward each year to spending Christmas with her family in Belize where she enjoyed ziplining and cave tubing. She is survived by her husband and three children, three siblings, John Harlen Lamb (Marianne) of Huntington Beach, California, Connie Sue Nelson (William) of Austin, Texas and Richard Dyer Lamb (Karen) of Fort Myers, Florida; grandson, Noah Wylie Bushnell, as well as 15 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents. A celebration of her life will be held at the park in Samalayuca Estates, 800 West Samalayuca Drive on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Lung Association, Beacon Group, or Casa de la Luz Hospice. Arrangements by BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE CENTER.