Patricia Hudson

Patricia Jean Hudson "Pat"

February 16th 1943 ~ June 6th 2024

Pat's husband John, and her children are saddened in sharing that she has left this life with us.

Pat was the first born child of Joe and Jean Warden. Her father served in the South Pacific during her infancy. With her parents and her three younger siblings she lived next to her grandparents in Portland Oregon, in side by side homes that her father and grandfather had built together. After the 4th grade she and her family moved to Salem Oregon. She graduated from South Salem High school and enjoyed life long friendships with classmates.

Pat's vocation started in the foot steps of her mother as well as her grandmother, as a secretary and administrative assistant. She worked in the private sector, for the YMCA and for the Washington State Legislature. She excelled at typing and shorthand. She used to write her family's Christmas lists in shorthand except for their names, and post these on the refrigerator.

She transitioned into management of commercial properties including work with Capital Development/South Sound Mall. Then opening the new Capital Mall where she served as Marketing Director.

Pat entered into a lifelong journey of sobriety and celebrated 36 years. This helped lead her to transition into her next career. She advanced her education, studying psychology and mental health counseling and earned a college degree and certifications in mental health and substance use disorder counseling (CDCP). She worked in the fields of addiction recovery and eating disorders treatment at Swedeish Hospital in Ballard. She deeply enjoyed her work. She was so incredibly gifted at helping others, and she supported healing in the lives of so very many. This was probably always meant to be her career, it was just waiting for her to find it.

Pat had married Dick Yunker shortly out of high school. Son Steve was born while in Oregon and Daughter Cathy 2 years later in Washington. The young family lived in Corvallis, OR near OSU, Sweethome OR, Shelton WA, and on Vancouver Island in BC before settling in Olympia in 1971. Pat and Dick divorced, but, (along with their spouses) remained "family", close supportive friends, co-parents and co-grandparents. In 1979 Pat married John Hudson and gained a youngest son Chad.

John and Pat have shared an incredibly fun filled 45 years. Their love showed, and it set an amazingly wonderful example for their children and grandchildren. When they married they lived in Olympia. They enjoyed the local lakes and spending summer evenings and weekends on the Puget Sound on their sailboat that was moored near their home. In the late 1980's they moved to Seattle, initially living on Queen Anne Hill with views of the city and mountains. Once they began to have grandchildren they decided it was time to again buy a home with a yard. They purchased their West Seattle home in 1991. They so enjoyed living in and near the city.

Pat loved to travel to Mexico with John, often spending a month at a time. As much as they loved that, in 2012, they visited Phoenix and found it to have much of what they enjoyed about Mexico, without the need to travel internationally. They had their Goodyear home built and began splitting their time between Arizona and Washington, eventually paring down to one home in Arizona but continuing to spend their summers and Christmas Holidays traveling to Washington. The rest of the year was spent in the company of their community of close friends in Goodyear at Cantamia.

John and Pat's family included, son Steve (Susan) of Wenatchee WA, daughter Cathy (Reed) of Olympia WA and son Chad (Laura) of Stanwood WA. They have 12 grandchildren (eleven grandsons and one granddaughter), and 7 great grandchildren (soon to be 8). Having met Pily (Rafa) of Guadalajara Jal. MX, (a high school exchange student at the time), Pat and John fell in love with her and soon considered her their 4th child, adding 3 granddaughters and 3 great grandchildren.

In addition to those listed above and her numerous friends, she will be dearly missed by her brothers Jerry (Pam) of Aumsville OR, and Mike of Salem OR, as well as her nieces and nephews (Pat was a favorite Aunt). Pat was preceded in death by her parents as well as her sister and brother-in-law Joanne "Joan" (Jay).

Pat was a wife, daughter, sister, mother and grandmother, but mostly she was a beloved friend, counselor and confidant to those in her immediate family and to those who chose her as family. She had many "best friends", many "daughters", many "sons", many "sisters", "brothers", "nieces", "nephews" and "grandchildren". All of whom were more than blessed by her listening ears, her sound advice and her love. If you were among those, you know who you are and you know you were loved and cherished.

Pat died peacefully after a year of health struggles. She lost her physical health but remained her kind, charming, bright, funny, compassionate, and loving self to the end. Pat was a woman of faith and her beliefs in God, heaven and the power of prayer helped to guide her. She loved nature, trees and beaches. She often told us that "she loved us more than God is everywhere." She led a life well lived and well loved and will be greatly missed.

The family is planning two celebration gatherings.

Celebration of Life Sunday August 4th at 1:00 pm at the Lacey Community Center. Enjoy time remembering Pat with a short service. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Saturday September 28th drop by or stay a while between 1:00pm and (? Cantamia curfew) for an open house hosted by the family at Pat and Johns home in Goodyear.

For historical reference we are including links at the bottom of both John and Pat Hudson's Legacy pages to one another's obituaries.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/john-hudson-obituary?id=58579826