Obituary: Whitehill, M. Patrick “Pat”

Patrick “Pat”

Passed away February 25, 2012, after a long and courageous fight against the effects of Parkinson’s disease.

The world has lost a passionate fly fisherman, a skilled hunter, a tremend-ous athlete, a canny bridge player, a loving husband, and a supportive and generous father and grandfather.
Pat was born in the Dalles, OR., August 1, 1929.

He was raised by his mother, Vera Whitehill, with his two siblings, Vera Beth and LeRoy.

Pat began fly-fishing as a young boy, and he soon added hunting to his list of favorite activities.

He often said that he was “saved” by sports, finding his motivation to stay in school and remain a good citizen because of the rewards he found in competition.

Pat earned his Bachelor of Art’s degree in education from Eastern Washington University and it was there that he met his wife of 60 years, Altamae Sims.

While at Eastern, Pat was a star athlete on the basketball and track teams.
While working as a teacher, first in Chewelah, Wash., and then in Cheney, Pat went on to study for his masters and doctorate degrees at the University of Oregon.
Pat and his wife Altamae raised three sons in Cheney: Barry, Terry and David.

Being a teacher agreed with Pat.

He loved being around young people, and he appreciated having a job that allowed him to “play” every day.

He was a beloved physical education instructor at Eastern Washington University for 30 years.

Among Pat’s many athletic accomplishments were the numerous national champion-ships he won in the master’s racquetball division from 1982-1990.

Pat was inducted into the EWU Athletic Hall of Fame in September 2001.
Pat’s retirement years were filled with travel, camping, fly-fishing and card games with friends and grandchildren.

Although Parkinson’s slowed Pat down and made it more difficult for him to do the things he loved, he never gave up trying to pursue the hobbies that made him happy.

His courage was an inspiration to everyone who knew him.
Pat is survived by his wife Altamae; brother, LeRoy of Seattle; sister, Vera Beth of Vancouver, Wash.; his three sons, Barry (Patti) of Fairbanks, Alaska, Terry (Karen) of Portland, OR., and David (Lorrie) of Kailua Kona, Hawaii; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
A celebration of Pat’s life will be held at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to Eastern Washington University Athletic Department, 525 Fifth St., Cheney, WA 99004 or the Parkinson’s Resource Center, 910 W Fifth Ave., Ste 256 Spokane, WA 99204.