Obituary - "Patty Jo" / Patricia Joanne Stanford (January 14, 1948 - August 14 2015)

I don't know how, but this didn't get posted when I wrote it, so here it is now... Better late than never! :D...

Well, friends. My sweet mama is finally home. :) I have cried many times already. I know I will cry many more times in my life, for missing her... I will miss her dearly.

However, this passing is not a tragedy. It is as big a blessing as birth was. She came to fulfill a purpose, and she fulfilled it. And now she is in Spiritual Paradise with loved ones who passed on before her. I know she was especially excited to see her mother. :) 

I will tell you more about my sweet mama and her life (and funeral) later. For now, I give you the obituary, which I FINALLY wrote today (No one else in the family took me up on it, so I get the honor once more! ;)

Patricia Joanne Stanford, devoted mother of 8, and big sister to a brother and two sisters… peacefully completed her mortal journey of 67.5 years on July 14, 2015, in the presence of her daughter, Corine, in Hayden, Idaho. Patricia was born January 14, 1948 in Yakima Washington to Ruth Payne, and Lewis G Koehler (who she would have the pleasure of meeting by phone later in life).

Want to know what it is like to be Patty Jo/Patricia Joanne?

Start singing and pounding on the piano when you are just a baby. And dance as soon as your body can wiggle. Go on to become an amazing composer at the piano, and while still in your youth, play for the queen of Canada… all the while thinking you are just playing for “that nice lady in the royal family.”

Get on the bus with your mom, and go from church to church, repeatedly from toddler to teen, SEARCHING for more truth. Rejoice and be baptized when you finally find the one that has it all; love it with your whole heart and never look back!

Pretend your baby sister is your own, along with the 8 or so dolls lined up on your bed, and dream with everything you have that it will be real one day… Make that dream come true by later bearing 8 beautiful children of your own. Home school them all, and pour your everything into them, with all the excitement of a child still playing with dolls…

Raise those kids in the COUNTRY, giving them lots of chores, and plenty of time to develop talents and explore and build forts outdoors… or in. Use a cow bell to call them with because they are going to have a HUGE area in which to run and play, and they won’t hear you if you call!

TRAIN THEM to look out the window for approaching cars, and then yell to each other when they see one, “CAR! Someone’s coming!” then watch them tidy up the house like their life depended upon it! ;) Smile, because the kids did it all, and you didn’t have to say a word!

TRAIN THEM in the GOSPEL – through example, word, and weekly Family Home Evening’s. Devote your life to living and sharing the gospel, and to serving the Lord with everything you have! Teach your children to memorize scriptures, and to “serve the Lord with gladness” when they are only four!

MAKE MUSIC! SING the kids to sleep while they are little, with a family famous bed time song of your own making. When they are older, lull them to sleep at their request via the PIANO, preferably with Clair de Lune, or one of your own AMAZING COMPOSITIONS… PLAY the piano with such FEELING that you move your family to tears when they hear YOU play! When they are awake, sing WITH them, even at special public occasions... 

SERVE everyone you meet. Let people come live in your home, too! Even if they are bedridden, or need a great deal of help for any reason; love it! Be sure they know you love having them there! :D Love it so well that your children love it, too, and feel honored and blessed to help you serve…

TEACH children and grandchildren to play the piano and to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ. Love children and love teaching them – Most of all... Love the children, even if they don’t let you teach them!!! ;)

CLEAN more than any 10 people, AND LOVE IT! Do it to classical music. Make the house shine “like the top of the Chrysler building!” ;) Gather your family together to study the scriptures daily, and teach them to be clean in spirit and mind, and not just in body and home – and to strive to prevent messes, and to clean them up quickly… especially by way of repentance, daily; and renewing of covenants weekly!

STRIVE to keep ALL the commandments, especially the two greatest… to LOVE God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength; and love others as you love yourself! Study Christ’s words, so much and so well that you become a Scriptorian, and your pages are no longer white from being marked so much! LIVE what you learn and what you preach! PRAY every day, repeatedly, every time you wake, eat, leave the house, do something important, or sleep. Teach your kids to do the same. LEARN that God loves you, and doesn’t expect you to attain perfection in this life, he only expects you to try! ;)

Go to the TEMPLE as often as you can. Be sealed to your family there, and be THANKFUL for it! Make and keep sacred covenants there, and feel honored and blessed for the privilege of doing so!

ENDURE WELL by making “overcoming” a lifetime pursuit. Transform weaknesses to strengths to the very end, so well that when your Savior DOES call you home, your family knows you are as ready as you ever will be; and no one is more ready to meet your maker than you are!

Watch through spiritual eyes, and see that, though they will miss you dearly, your children are at peace … Know that they will keep smiling, and be so happy for you that you have FINALLY RETURNED HOME! :D

Patty is survived by her husband, Larry Stanford; three daughters Carolyn (Spencer) Wescott, Corine (Miles) Moore and Kalah (Scott) Neff; five sons Benjamin (Jennifer) Stanford, Aaron (Olivia) Stanford, Eli (Shelby) Stanford, Nathan (Yolanda) Stanford, and David Stanford; two sisters Janice Howell, and Judy Vanhammen; 25 grandchildren; and 1 great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, John Herman.

NOTE to Patty from her children: ♥We love you mom! Thank you for your unconditional love and exemplary life!!! We will do everything in our power to work hard, overcome, endure to the end as you did, and to finally “return with honor” one day, too… :D

MEMORIALS: Patty was constantly stating that she wished she could send money each month to help support grandchildren on their missions. The family therefore suggests that memorials may be made to the Missionary Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, for Patricia's grand daughter, Mindy Moore, or any other young missionaries currently serving... 
President Carl W. Knight, Coeur d'Alene YSA Branch 3951 19th St., Coeur d'Alene ID. 83815

Place of Disposition: Mountain View Cemetery, 4259 E Hwy 54 Athol, Idaho.

Doesn't mom look AMAZING here? The last couple months of her life she was healthier than she had been IN A VERY LONG TIME! It was AMAZING to see miracle after miracle occur in her life. Ultimately the kidneys gave in, but she was still VERY BLESSED to enjoy AMAZING HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS before she passed. I AM SO HAPPY FOR HER!!! :)



Mama's last family photo with me and my family :D

She was very excited to take these! So were we! :D

I did not have time to shower first. :o It was very spontaneous. Mama wanted to do it, and do it "now."  She just sprung the idea upon us that morning, and we did it! Though I cringed when I looked in the mirror before the photos were taken, I wouldn't trade these photos for anything! I have family photos with my mama. :D