Patricia Searles

According to Patricia Searles, life was all about family and nothing was better than when they were all gathered together. She could come off as a little gruff on the outside, but on the inside she had a heart of gold. Patricia was very intelligent and had a thirst for knowledge throughout her entire life. Those who knew Patricia knew that she was blessed with the gift of gab and that there was no such thing as a short story when she was the one telling it. She will be remembered for her well-done chocolate chip cookies, her outspoken political views, and her love for formal dinners but most of all, Patricia will be remembered for her kind and loving spirit.

As the Great Depression blanketed our nation, the year 1931 saw the doubling of the unemployment rate to over 16 percent and car manufacturers going out of business while Mother Nature turned several states in the Midwest into dust bowls as a serious drought plagued us as well. There was great reason to celebrate, however, for the family of Thomas and Rosabelle (Elkerton) Clark as they welcomed their daughter, Patricia, into their hearts and home on May 20th of that same year. Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Patricia was the oldest of three children in her family including her siblings Mary Jo and Thomas. Her father worked at Michigan Bell while her mother was a homemaker. It was Patricia’s father who gave her an early introduction to the political scene as he was an outspoken Republican who was into politics. Patricia attended local schools including St. Augustine High School where she was very bright and excelled in science.

After graduating from high school in 1948, Pat continued her education, earning her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and than a master’s degree in chemistry. She also earned her teaching certificate, opening a door to a multi-faceted career that would be very rewarding to Patricia throughout her life.

Life was forever changed for Patricia when she made the acquaintance of the young man who would forever hold the key to her heart. His name was Richard Searles and after dating for a time, the couple found themselves deeply in love. They married on September 4, 1954, at St. Joseph Church. They started their family right away with the birth of their daughter, Mary Frances, on July 26, 1955. Exactly one year later, their daughter Ann Elizabeth was born on the very same day. The young family was dealt a devastating blow, however, when Ann became afflicted with a skin disease and died when she was just seven months old. Including their precious Ann Elizabeth, Pat and Dick were blessed with five daughters altogether. Dick worked as a researcher at Upjohn while Patricia kept busy at home raising their children and completing her schooling.

Patricia worked within the education field for many years. She taught part-time at St. Joseph School, St. Monica, and O’Brien, an all girls school. Pat later worked as an evaluator at Western Michigan University and then took an extension program with Michigan State University.

There were several things that kept Patricia busy through the years. When her children were younger, she made many of their clothes and then later in life, she made clothes for her grandchildren as well. Patricia also knitted many prayer shawls over the years. She claimed to be the best cook, although that was up for debate according to her children as they can attest to her burnt chocolate chip cookies. Pat enjoyed being social and belonged to various book clubs, bridge clubs, and Audubon society, the choir at St. Catherine Church, the Oratorical Society, and the Kalamazoo Singers. On one occasion, she even sang in Carnegie Hall with one of the singing groups that she was a part of. Patricia was well traveled having made it to Scotland, Korea, Hawaii, the Caribbean, the Florida Keys, and she also went camping in Maine. She was an avid reader who read whatever she could get her hands on, quite often long books. Pat also kept her mind sharp by watching Jeopardy every night and after her husband died, she treasured the companionship of her cats. She listened to Norah Jones, Susan Boyle, and classical music, and she regularly listened to Rush Limbaugh, too.

Those who knew Patricia would agree that she was truly one of a kind. She knew a nickel’s worth of everything and forever had “just one more thing” to say. In many ways, Pat was the matriarch of her family, treasuring family gatherings for any and every occasion. She loved eating formal dinners as she was a fan of all the pomp and circumstance surrounding them. Patricia was strong in her faith and into politics as she was a die-hard Republican.

Everyone who loved Patricia Searles would agree that their lives were deeply enriched for having known such an extraordinary woman. She was a woman of many words who could draw out even the shortest of stories. Pat was blessed with many gifts including a beautiful singing voice, a sharp mind, and an adventurous spirit, but cooking and baking were not really her strong suites. She never hesitated to show those around her how deeply they were loved though, and she was always willing to make life a little easier for those around her in whatever way she could. Patricia was a delight to all who knew her and will be deeply missed.

Patricia A. Searles died at her home on September 27, 2010. Pat’s family includes her 3 daughters: Mary Frances (Gary) Hunt, Loretta Statsick and Carolyn (Kevin) Simmons; 12 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; 2 siblings: Mary Jo (Gerry) Fritz and Thomas (Wilma) Clark and many nieces and nephews. Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Searles and by an infant daughter Ann Elizabeth Searles; daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Herrera. Learn more about Pat, view her Life Story film, and share some memories with her family and friends on Thursday from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes – Kalamazoo, MI; 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900 Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday 11:00 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church. A luncheon will follow in the church hall. Please visit Pat’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a memory or photo, sign her memory book before coming to the funeral home, or make a memorial donation to the West Michigan Cancer Center, Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan or St. Catherine Music Program.