Patricia Carol “Pat” Zarzecki, 83, died April 23, 2008, at her home in Freeland following a courageous battle with cancer.
Mass was celebrated Monday at St. Hubert’s Church in Langley. Interment was at Sunnyside in Coupeville.
Pat was born Jan. 11, 1925, in Perth, Western Australia, to Henry James “Nugget” and Edith Alice (nee Clune) Gepp.
Pat married Hank Zarzecki in 1944 when he was stationed in Western Australia while serving in the U.S. Navy (including service aboard the USS Trout submarine.) Pat later became a U.S. citizen and was employed at Bank of America in California before retirement.
Pat and Hank moved to Whidbey Island in 1998 where she enjoyed reading, working on crossword puzzles and playing her piano.
Pat is survived by her husband, Henry J. “Hank” Zarzecki; daughter, Susan (Mike) Kearns of Lake Almanor, Calif., and five step-grandchildren; daughter, Jan (Brett) Wilhelm of Greenbank; sister, Florence (Les) Smith, and brother, Peter (Peg) Gepp of Perth, Western Australia. In Australia, Pat was aunt to seven plus their spouses and great-aunt to nine.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Max and Harold Gepp.
Pat was very proud of her nephew, Stephen Smith, who was sworn in on Dec. 3, 2007, as Australia’s new Minister for Foreign Affairs (comparable in the United State to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice).
The family would like to thank Pat’s dear friend Dr. Marianne Dorman and all the staff at both the MAC Clinic and Home Health Care & Hospice of Whidbey General Hospital (especially Pam!) for their help and support.
