Patricia Mary Martin

MARTIN, Patricia Mary, our mother was born September 27, 1929 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and died August 11, 2008 in Tucson, Arizona where she lived for 50 years. She died with the grace and courage with which she lived. She was preceded in death ten years ago by our father, Donald to whom she was married for 41 years. She grew-up participating in many adventures and athletic activities in Canada with her lifelong, childhood friend Eileen, including expertly skiing (using rope tows). She and Eileen traveled in Europe as young, single women, paying their way with "temporary" jobs at vacation resorts. They feigned their expertise as maids or bar tenders, but were eventually fired after their ineptness at making beds and mixing drinks was discovered (they mixed a cocktail in Ireland called a "rye and gin" with half-rye whiskey and half-gin alcohol, not knowing it was supposed to be a shot of whiskey and ginger ale). She emigrated from Canada to the United States (with Eileen) after visiting her brother in Tucson one balmy December, not realizing she would exchange frigid Winnipeg winters for torrid Tucson summers. She was proud of her dual citizenship. She met our father, a native of Tucson; they eloped to La Jolla in his 1953 MG convertible, and continued a family tradition of mixing marriage and different religious affiliations. Despite the devastating illness of her first baby, Eric, she had four children in five years. She raised Eric, determined to make him independent, and she succeeded without the resources now available to disabled children and their parents. In addition to being a busy mother, she was employed as a proficient medical transcriptionist for several local physicians, and typed their dictation at lightning speed. She was proud of her children; Greg, who served in the military including a tour in Iraq; Keith, whose talent in sports she enjoyed cheering, and Nora, who became a registered nurse with her encouragement. Our mother will be remembered for her strength during adversity, her resilience, work ethic, and joy of family and reminiscing. We will remember her Irish wit, love of Wildcats basketball and her delicious banana bread. She is survived by her sons, Eric and Keith (Heather) of Tucson, Greg (Cathy); grandchildren, Heidie, Hannah and great-grandson, Anthony of Herrington, Kansas, and daughter, Nora Martin Vetto (Thomas A. Vetto, MD); grandchildren, Mark, and Anne Patricia Vetto (her namesake) of Scottsdale, Arizona. She is survived by her devoted niece, Mary, and Eileen Schrader, her friend for 63 years, both of Tucson. She is also survived by a favorite cousin, Elizabeth Bailey, of Stoke Abbott, Dorset, England, who she enjoyed visiting a few years ago, as well as survived by other relatives in Arizona, New York, Ireland and England. Services are private.