Pattie Lurrine Richards

Our beloved Mother, Pattie Lurrine Thacker Richards went home peacefully to be with God, Angels, and her family on the other side of the veil, Tuesday, December 11, 2018 in St George.  She was 93 years of age.
    She had the opportunity of saying her goodbyes to her kids, grandkids, great grandkids, family and dear friends, days before her passing.
    Pattie was born in Mt. Emmons, on April 6, 1925, daughter of LeRoy and Weltha Osborn Thacker, she was the 8th child of 14 siblings.
    She married Thomas Andrew Richards on May 5, 1944 in Salt Lake City, and later sealed for Time and Eternity in the Jordan River Temple.
    Pattie was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she held several callings. She served as a compassionate service leader and visiting teacher for many years.
    Pattie was blessed with a great gift and talent for music. She loved to sing and play instruments. As a small child she learned to play the piano by ear. She never learned to read notes and had memorized over 500 songs. At the age of 14 she accompanied her parents and played at dances, weddings, missionary homecomings and soldiers farewell’s. It was at one of those farewells where Tom, her husband to be, laid eyes on her. It was love at first sight. He asked Patties’ Father LeRoy if he could take her home, he consented, and the rest is history!
    Pattie played the piano, organ and accordion throughout her life at rest homes, the Utah Arts Festival, weddings, and other events such as family reunions.
    She was commissioned by the Utah Arts Council to teach old time music, where she made new friends with the same interests and even recorded her music.
    Pattie also had gifted hands for baking. Homemade breads, cookies, cakes, cinnamon rolls and all of her delicious soups and other amazing dishes. They will be missed forever. She left many recipes for us to treasure.
    She also had to face a great deal of physical challenges throughout her life. She survived many surgeries and diseases and lived most of her life in chronic pain, but the Lord gave her the strength to endure to the end.
    Mom is survived by 5 children; Gail, Mary (LaDell), Patricia (Ric), Gary (Rita), Jody (Tracy). 21 grandchildren, 46 great grandchildren & 10 great great-grandchildren! She is also survived by her brother, Alton, and sisters, Lorna and Anna Lee.
    Funeral services will be held as follows: Viewing Friday evening December 14, 2018 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Hughes Mortuary 1037 East 700 South in St Gorge, Utah.
    Viewing on Saturday from 9:00 to 10:00 am at the Chapel at 1050 E. Galena Drive in Sandy. Followed by funeral services from 10:00 to 11:00 am. Afterwards an interment at Altamont cemetery.

My Sister Pattie
    Written by Anna Lee Mathews for Pattie’s 79th Birthday

How I Will Miss You

I love you . ..   For all our laughing times and your warm and happy smile
for we need each other, shared our secrets as we daydreamed for awhile.

I love you . . .   For all our little chats, when we’d call each other on the phone
I love you . . .    For that welcome feeling when I’d visit at your home.

I love you . . .  When you cheer me up, when I feel down and sad
I love you . . .   For all the little things you do like a sister, this makes me glad.

I love you . . .    For your patients, when I do something wrong
or we begin to laugh, in the middle of our song.

I love you . . .   As my mind runs back, at all the funny things we’d say
like riding through the country side, I won’t forget that day.

And we laughed, at simple things, like a cute old stove in someone’s yard
and how you kept the car on the road, deserved a great reward.  

Several times our attention swayed, and could have been a mess
sometimes our rides and chats were dangerous, to this I can confess.

I love you . . .    For the strength and faith in our family, you helped to give
I love you . . .   For the love you gave me, that my happy life I live.

Those younger years have faded fast, we’ve gone our separate ways
we raised our children, seen them grow, as they stepped out in modern days.

I love you . .    For all the charity and happiness that you have shown
for all the friends you’ve made through life, and people that you’ve known.

I love you . . . For your talent with music, that brought joy in so many palaces
with up lifted hearts and spirits anew, saw light – in Elderly faces.

I love you . . .   Because you made it possible to hear again, those sweet old songs
always a part of my favorite memories, no matter the rights or wrongs.

I love you. . .   For the tenderness you hold within your heart
that kept our family close together with music, past on from the start.

I know Gods plan had a place for you, with this gift so sweet and rare
I love you . . .   For your compassion, a sister who’s always been there.

There is nothing that can change my love for you, that I hold deep in my heart
just to hear again the sweet tone of the violin, past down from our parents art.

And I’m so thankful for that wonderful gift, God gave to you and me
that we share this love as sisters, here on this earth, and through all Eternity.