Patricia Sullivan Lindh

LINDH, PATRICIA SULLIVAN Patricia Sullivan Lindh, 75, died on Monday, July 19, 2004, in San Diego. The cause was complications from lung cancer. Patricia was born in Toledo, Ohio, on Oct. 2, 1928. She was raised in Cleveland and Chicago. She received a bachelor's degree from Trinity College in 1950. Patricia met and married her husband, H. Robert "Bob" Lindh Jr., in Chicago. After marrying, she and her husband, an international oil company executive, moved abroad, living in Singapore, Karachi, and Kuwait from 1955 to 1965. It was during this time period that she began actively promoting better roles for women. Patricia was editor of the Singapore American newspaper for six years and founding president of the International Women's Club in Kuwait. She was also a member of the board of the American Women's Association of Karachi, Pakistan. Upon her return to the United States, the family, now including three small children, settled in Baton Rouge, where Patricia became active in political and civic affairs. During her years in Louisiana, she commenced her long history of participation in Republican politics with the goal of expanding women's roles in the political arena. She served as first vice president of the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, vice chairwoman for the Republican Party of Louisiana and national committeewoman. She was a delegate to the 1972 Republican National Convention and was a member of the Platform Committee. She worked actively for Republican candidates at the state and national level through the early 1980s. Patricia joined the White House in 1974 as special assistant to the counselor of the president and subsequently was appointed by President Ford as special assistant to the president for women's affairs. Patricia was responsible for liaison with women's organizations and overseeing the Office of Women's Programs. Her major duties and accomplishments included formulating anti-discrimination legislation and regulations, which revolutionized opportunities for women. She encouraged qualified women to seek top-level jobs within the federal government and assisted in the development of the administration's policies and programs for the First International Women's Year Conference. She represented the United States as delegate to the conference held in Mexico City in 1975. In March 1976, she was appointed deputy assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs. In this position, Patricia promoted programs of international exchange such as the Fulbright Scholarship program and was responsible for administering the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. Patricia's contributions on both a national and international level have been recognized with three honorary doctorate degrees and by numerous awards from civic, business, and professional organizations in the United States and abroad. In 1978, Patricia and her family moved to Los Angeles, where she was vice president and director of corporate communications for Bank of America. Although she left public office for the private sector, she continued her efforts on behalf of the Republican Party, serving as surrogate for President Reagan in the 1980 campaign speaking in Illinois and Texas on his behalf. Her family moved to San Francisco when she was vice president and director of wholesale banking public relations. She stayed with Bank of America until her retirement in 1993. In addition to her many political and professional accomplishments, Patricia was active in civic affairs all of her adult life, including serving on the board of directors of Junior League of Baton Rouge; board of trustees, California Hospital Medical Center; board of directors, Children's Bureau of Los Angeles; advisory council of Junior League of Los Angeles; National Women's Coalition; advisory board, National Association of Women Business Owners; executive committee, financial institutions section, Public Relations Society of America; president's council, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce; board of visitors, Southwestern University School of Law; and a member of Executive Women in Government in Washington, D.C. Patricia is survived by Bob, her husband of 49 years; daughters, Sheila Koenig of Monrovia, Calif., and her husband, Larry, and Deborah Murphy of Portland, Ore., and her husband, Bryan; son, Robert Lindh of Newport Beach, Calif., and his wife, Elizabeth; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Burial service will be private. Memorial Mass will be held at San Rafael Catholic Church, followed by a celebration of her life at the County Club of Rancho Bernardo in San Diego on Friday, July 30, 2004, at 2 p.m. Donations are suggested to the Odyssey Hospice, 9444 Balboa Ave., Suite 290, San Diego, CA 92123.