Patricia Sousa

Pat lived a long and full life. A good life. She left as she'd hoped, quickly, no lingering, from an unexpected heart attack, with a loved one at her side for those last few hours. She was 93.

She lived her life with passion, persistence and determination. She had great concern for the health of the world. She'd had an active life until her passing, mentally, physically, emotionally tending her beloved garden, weeding ("My news today is my green bin is 3/4 full, yay!"), walking Punky, cooking and keeping up her house, sharing texts and phone calls. She was a loyal friend, open to new ideas, positive and resilient, modest, and kind.

Born in Hayward into a mostly Portuguese community, her ancestors were from Madeira Island. During Pat's childhood, everyone had vegetable gardens, chickens, rabbits these were depression years.

Pat struggled in school and at 16, after 9th grade, dropped out and began working at Owens Illinois glass factory in Oakland, then a thriving campus of almost 2000 employees. It was line work, day shift for one week, swing shift the next week, graveyard the next, and that's how it was for 30+ years.

Starting out shy, quiet, serious, insecure, underage, as the years went by she became more confident and outgoing. She was active in the union, got her GED, became shop steward, eventually union president. She was widely trusted, respected and seen as a leader.

With Equal Opportunity in the early 70's, Pat filed a successful grievance to become a crew leader, the first female crew leader at that Oakland plant. And a few years later, she was promoted to management. Again that was a first. "No more shift work, no more hourly pay!" Her final position before retirement in 1984 was as a service engineer, visiting customers' facilities throughout Northern California.

Pat was always handy with tools and enjoyed all the building trades. In the 1980's she designed and built a beautiful home in the Sierra foothills. It was a source of great satisfaction,and turned out wonderfully! She loved the outdoors, fishing, boating; she learned to sailboard at 52 and did so until she was nearly 70.

Pat's last 25 years were spent contentedly in a suburban home backing onto open space and the Sacramento Delta waterways. In the 1990's she discovered with great joy women's country western dancing. She became actively involved in the East Bay dance community; later she also enjoyed Argentine tango.

Left to cherish her memory are Laura Tow, surviving relatives, and so very many friends. If so inclined, please share her support of these two non-profits: Girls Inc. in Oakland and National PFLAG in Washington DC. A memorial celebration of her life is pending. Contact: mslaurat33@gmail.com