Patricia Ann Davey, 82, died peacefully at home surrounded by her devoted husband of 59 years, Walter, and her children after a brief illness with ALS disease.

Patricia was known for her tremendous energy, passion, and humor, and was dearly loved by her close knit family, siblings, and many friends. She will be remembered for her kindness and compassion for the sick and the poor, in addition to her deep Catholic faith.

Patricia was born on February 26, 1931 to Francis and Emma O’Connor in Mankato, Minnesota before her family moved to Oregon. She attended Sacred Heart High School in Salem and then earned her nursing degree from Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing in Eugene.

Patricia was chosen out of hundreds of contestants as Salem’s Cherry Festival queen. Her reign included several interesting festivities, including helping to christen the new dam across the North Santiam River at Gates, Oregon.

Walter and Patricia were married in 1953. They moved to California where Walter worked as an aeronautical engineer for 32 years. They raised their ten children in North Tustin, retiring to Newport Coast in 2001.

Patricia loved her vocation, working part time as an RN at Santa Ana Community Hospital and Joseph’s Hospital in Orange, and then full time at the County of Orange Health Care Agency in Santa Ana for 33 years. While at St. Joseph’s, she was chosen by her colleagues as the 1970 Red Rose nurse representing Orange County. The competition was sponsored by the Red Rose Appeal which solicits funds to provide charitable hospital care to patients in 24 participating hospitals in Southern California.

Patricia will be missed by her dear friends from her many walks of life: her work, her children’s schools, her church, her neighborhood, as well as all of the friends she made wherever she went.
She was predeceased by five brothers and two sisters. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her children: Tom, Tim, Julie, James, Beth, Alison, Bob, Kevin, Tricia, and John; 24 grandchildren; three great grandchildren; and four sisters.

A rosary is being said on Friday, April 19, at 7:00 pm at Brown Colonial Mortuary, Santa Ana, CA. Her interment will be Saturday, April 20, at 1:30 pm in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, Orange, CA followed by the celebration of her Memorial Mass at 3:00 pm at Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Newport Beach, CA.