A memorial service is 10 a.m. March 28, 2020 at First United Methodist Church, 1050 S.E. Ireland St., Oak Harbor, Wash.

What Pat wants you to know: “I was born by salt water and lived my entire life by salt water — Never, ever stopped loving salt water. If you are sad, look at, smell, close your eyes and see the salt water and I am not far away. I am in the salt water I loved. I am at peace.”

Pat loved the smell of salt water, the waves, the feel of salt water, storms on salt water, and the outdoors, skiing, sailing, hiking, backpacking, golfing, walking, traveling, laughing, music, dancing and cats. Loved reading and the Mariners and politics and keeping life interesting. Hated injustice and unkindness and wasn’t afraid to speak up. Urges you to register to vote, vote and keep on voting.

The Beginning. Born on Aug. 8, 1924 at Hoquiam General Hospital, Hoquiam, Wash., to the delight of her parents, Albert and Winifred Laurence Anderson. Albert owned the AA Market in Hoquiam and Winifred was a teacher.

Pat graduated from Hoquiam High School and attended high school reunions as often as they were held. She was the proud big sister of Robert Anderson and adored her sister-in-law, Luanne, and their children.

Leaving Us. She said “goodbye” in Kennewick, Wash., in the hospice house, still beautiful to the end. She was visiting Kristi and Bernard and Mack and Donald for the holidays when her health began to fail. Pat was cremated and her remains will become one with the salt water she loved. When she left on Jan. 24, 2020, her parents, beloved husband, Cecil, son, Bruce, and grandson, Stephen Sack, and all the pets she loved, were waiting for her. Charlie Chaplin, the wonder cat, remains in Kennewick with Kristi and Bernard. He was with her to the end.

No flowers, please. Pat would appreciate donations to two organizations she was passionate about: Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO) and Planned Parenthood, and please take this day to pass a kindness along.

PEO — Pat saw how education for women could changes lives. She was active in PEO for over 60 years. PEO is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans and stewardship of Cottey College and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations. Pat was so proud to have PEO Chapter IJ help Kristi finish her educational goal with the help of a PEO ELF loan. Cottey College is a women’s college owned by PEO in Nevada, Mo. Pat’s great-niece attended Cottey College.

Please address donations to PEO Foundation, PEO Executive Office, Treasurer’s Department, 3700 Grand Ave., Des Moines Iowa, 50312. Include “In memory of Patricia Wold-Flitcroft, Chapter IJ.” If you wish to know more, go to https://www.peointernational.org

Planned Parenthood. Please donate to the Planned Parenthood closest to you. Pat was one of the original founders of Planned Parenthood locally. As an RN, she saw women suffer for lack of access to reproductive health and family planning. She realized that both men and women need support and worked tirelessly to educate and pass on knowledge. Pat asks you to please look at what Planned Parenthood does for reproductive health — the whole picture.

Love and Family. Pat married John Wold Dec. 27, 1948, and they had five children, Kristi (Bernard), Robert, Bruce (deceased), Edwin (Nancy), and Jeffrey. Grands include nine grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

On May 5, 1978, Pat married Cecil Flitcroft, another adventurous, salt-water loving spirit. Pat built a beautiful home on Moran Beach and shared it with Cecil. During Cecil’s final months, Pat took care of him. His hospital bed was by the windows so he could see the salt water that was so much a part of both of their lives. Pat continued to live in this beautiful home on the throat of the Strait of Juan de Fuca until her death.

Pat loved education and believed it never stopped. She was a registered nurse, graduating from St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Spokane in 1945. She was one of the first females to attend Gonzaga because her class took inorganic and organic chemistry at Gonzaga. She attended the University of Washington. After she retired, she received a BS from St. Joseph’s College in Public Health with a specialty and certification in geriatrics. Light reading was the Financial Times, professional journals and anything that would educate her. She shared that love of education with her family.

Work and a Generous Spirit. As an RN, Pat worked in Seattle as a public health nurse going into some of the poorest parts of Seattle. She was thoughtful and well thought of by her clients. She worked with a variety of people. People struggling to make their lives better and immigrants who were doing the same. She taught us to value people for themselves not their circumstances, ethnicity, religion or abilities. She worked for both Island County Public Health and Island County Mental Health. She retired from Island County Mental Health in 1987.

Volunteering. Maybe you never met her, but you may have been the recipient of her volunteer activities. She volunteered in schools to help immunize children and identify those with hearing or vision impairments so they could be helped. There were no programs for helping the children at that time. Tireless Planned Parenthood volunteer. Her belief in the right to reproductive health, not just for women, but also for men, was important to her. After she retired, she volunteered in the Senior Foot Clinic helping people keep their feet healthy. She was the first unpaid, director of Help House in Oak Harbor.

A Life Well Lived. She was a good friend and an adventurous spirit her whole life. She was smart, fearless, loyal, kind and laughed often. She took the longest steps and walked faster than anyone. She worked, volunteered, raised five children and still had boundless energy. Other kids would marvel at all she did each day. Lots of excitement, including whole family backpacking and big boating, camping and skiing trips. Made us eat good food even though it was icky.

She backpacked the Chilkoot Trail, also known as the gold rush highway, a 33-mile trail in Alaska (favorite backpacking trip of all time) and the Boundary Trail between the United States and Canada (a close second). Favorite hike was up Goose Rock to celebrate the New Year for too many years to remember. Loved both water and snow skiing. She snow skied all over the place until she was in her late 80s. Much of her skiing time was with her beloved Ski Bums. She shared her love of skiing with Bob, Bruce, Ed and Jeff, and her grands

Traveled to Sweden to see Bruce multiple times. Went to Russia, Greece, Turkey, England, Australia, throughout Canada and the United States via boats, planes, trains, automobiles and recreational vehicles. Drove a 40-something foot motor home to Park City, Utah in November without blinking an eye, because we were all trying to get to Ed and Nancy’s wedding, and a trailer to Yellowstone with all of the children and her mother-in-law while our house was undergoing renovation. Explored Copper Canyon in Mexico while bringing needed supplies to the people who lived there.

Most beautiful motor boat trip was to Princess Louisa Inlet in Canada. She sailed many places and could not identify which caught her fancy because she loved them all. She could race, cruise and hang out on boats any time. She and her son, Bob, share this fanatic love of all things boat and salt water. She even rowed in a dragon boat crew.

Avid golfer and Mariner baseball watcher. One of her favorite baseball spectator things was attending a Mariner’s game with Kristi and Bernard.

She loved spending time with family and friends, making new friends on the beach, walking the beach, being on the beach, all things beach and salt water. When walking without help became hard, she whipped out her ski poles and kept on walking. We will miss her.