Patricia (Pat) Ruth Rathmann

Looks as though my time on earth is now complete. Patricia Ruth Rathmann (Pat) passed away on January 15, 2021 at the age of 87. I am soon to have my 88th birthday next month, but I was just too anxious to be with my loving family on the other side. I was born on February 15, 1933 in Fort Lyon, Colorado to my loving parents Helen Guvney Christianson and George Andrew Backman. I loved growing up in Fort Lyon, and love telling stories about growing up on the farm my Dad was in charge of for the VA hospital there.
I graduated from Bent County High School, and attended BYU for college. When my father retired, Mom and Dad moved back to Santaquin, Utah where he was born. I got a job with MaBell and a few of my friends rented an apartment in SLC together. I soon got a job at Ft Douglas as a secretary, and met the love of my life Colonel Ernest A Rathmann. We fell in love, and made our home together in Bountiful, Utah. Ernie retired from the military and I went to work up at HAFB where I eventually retired.
Ernie and I had 15 wonderful years together, before he passed away from cancer in 1983. He and I raised three wonderful kids, Regan (Steve) Mott, Ryan (Heidi) Rathmann, Allison Randi(Bryan) Wickel. We loved vacationing in San Diego, CA, and we all learned to ski together as a family. I really enjoyed skiing until my knees couldn’t take it any more. I survived 3 knee replacements, a shoulder surgery, neck and back fusions, and breast cancer. My kids call me the bionic woman. I always got the TSA frisking when I traveled. The vascular dementia was the one thing I wasn’t able to overcome, but I did put up a very good fight with it.
My favorite thing in life is music. All kinds of music. I love to sing, play the piano, musicals, acting, and oh did I say play the piano? I was in many local musical productions like Sound of Music, Fiddler on the roof, South pacific to name a few. I loved to play the piano(did I mention that?), and I always wanted to improve my playing abilities. I even took lessons after I retired. I played the saxophone in high school in the marching and symphonic bands, and also in an oldies band for awhile that played at care centers. I sang with the Jay Welch Choral, which became the Salt Lake Choral artists. There is even a beautiful Christmas album I was a part of. Oh and I love the piano.
I was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I cherished all my friends and neighbors in my Val Verda ward, and probably hold the record for the longest position in my church calling of playing the piano for the primary children. I took other jobs from time to time, but I wouldn’t let them release me from that position because I loved it so much. Don’t tell the bishop, but sometimes I would just go play for the kids, and go home and skip the other meetings.
I am the last of my siblings to pass away. I was surprised to see my baby brother Bob Backman up here, because I couldn’t remember he had passed in 2019. I guess I just didn’t want to believe it. We were all very close, and I loved all of our family gatherings each holiday or for special trips to Washington to see my big brother George Backman and his family. I especially was missing my wonderful sister Beverly, we always had so much fun together and I loved her family and all of my brother’s kids like my own.
One of my greatest joys in life are my 10 grandchildren: Brandon (Brandy), Andrew, Kelsie (Austin), Brooke(Mason), Brittnie, Carter, Maison, Abbie, Tanner, Brockton, and my almost 8 Great’s: Krypton, Kamdon, Khanrad, Johnny, Monty, Bentley, Lacie Jo and her baby brother Riggs coming soon. I am sure there will be many more to come, and I will help out up here when they want to come join our family.
My services will be held at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, on Friday, January 22, 2021 with the viewing from 9:45-10:45 a.m. and the services to start at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Bountiful Cemetery. You may view service live on Facebook @ Russon Brothers Mortuary.
My family and I wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Legacy House of Park Lane, my care givers there, and my hospice nurse Daunette.