Patricia Smith

Patricia Louise Smith of Yakima passed away peacefully at home on February 6, 2024, after a long illness. She was 75 years old. She was preceded in death by her parents Harold and Hazel Martin, brothers Harold “Bud” Martin, Lester Martin, and Charles Martin, and by her sisters Marion Leach, Ada Billingsley, Julia Roberts, Rosemary Verhulp, and Hazel “Sis” Kelly. She is survived by her loving husband, Pete Smith, sons Chad (Gina) Smith and Andrew Smith, and daughter Nicole Storlie, plus eight grandchildren and one great grandson, as well as dozens of nieces and nephews who considered her their second mom, best friend, or favorite auntie. Pat was born September 9, 1948, in Sunnyside Washington to Hazel Marie (Branham) Martin and Harold James Martin. She was the youngest of 9 children. She spent her childhood being doted on by her parents and older siblings, and her teen years being a role model and babysitter to many of her nieces and nephews. She graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1967. On November 25, 1967, she married Amil T “Pete” Smith. They moved to Yakima in 1975 and have lived in the same home ever since. Together, they enjoyed many activities: camping, fishing, gardening, and travel. She was an amazing mother who was devoted to her children and their interests. She was able to truly appreciate each of her children’s interests, whether it was karate, soccer, theater, music, cooking, BMX, Star Trek, Star Wars, or Mickey Mouse. She was a Den Mother and a Campfire leader- she was the mom on the block who knew where everyone else’s kids were, always making sure scrapes were bandaged and homemade cookies or popsicles were available to the whole neighborhood. Pat and Pete made sure their kids saw as much of the country as possible, spending many weekends on camping trips and at the beach, surrounded by the natural beauty she loved so much. Pat had talent for any artistic endeavor. She created beauty everywhere- with fabric, plants, yarn, paint, papier mâché, seashells, photography, music- she loved to master new forms of art. She created many beautiful quilts for her children and grandchildren. Her home was always beautifully decorated, and Pete worked right alongside her, helping to bring their shared vision to life. Their garden was especially nice, winning “yard of the month” several times for their beautiful landscaping. Becoming Grandma to Shawn, Becca, Helena, Eli, Mason, Madeline, Aiden, and Alexander gave her endless delight. She enjoyed making gifts for each of them and spending time playing games, decorating cookies, and cracking jokes. She loved watching their school performances and soccer games. Her grandkids would often join Pat and Pete in the mountains or at the beach- boating around Rimrock or flying kites. She achieved a certificate in accounting and spent her career in office management, pensions, and internal accounting. She retired from Moss Adams in 2013. After retirement, Pat and Pete cruised to Alaska and Mexico, and visited Hawaii, as well as all the western states in their fifth wheel- memorably through the southwest to Arizona for spring training (she was also a lifelong Mariners fan). While there, she distributed handmade clothing to children on the Navajo reservation and learned of the water scarcity there. This would become a cause she was passionate about. A celebration of life is planned for the warmer months, as Mom loved to be outside. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Navajo Water Project: https://www.navajowaterproject.org/give To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Patricia Smith, please visit our flower store.