Patricia “Pat” (Rice) Hathaway, age 89, was born to eternal life on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at her home in Glendive.
Vigil services were held at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glendive. A Memorial Mass was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Glendive with Father Francis Schreiber officiating. Rite of Committal will be held in the Dawson Memorial Cemetery in Glendive. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Pat was born to life on December 5, 1926 in Glendive, the daughter of Frank and Lillian Rice. She was raised and educated in Glendive, graduating from Dawson County High School with the class of 1943 at the age of 16. She attended the Columbus School of Nursing in Great Falls, Mont. as part of the Cadet Nurse Program. Upon graduating from Nursing School in 1947, she pursued her nursing career at the University of Chicago Hospital.
In 1949, Pat returned to Glendive and was engaged to Joe Hathaway whom she claimed “pursued me with great persistence.” Joe always said she was the “nicest and prettiest girl in Glendive.” They were married later that same year and to this union seven children were born: Patty, Mark, Pete, Molly, Ann, Teresa and Paul. Pat and Joe traveled the world and enjoyed sixty-one years of marriage until Joe passed away in 2011.
After staying home to raise her seven children, Pat returned to work at the Glendive Community Hospital for one year. She was active in the Sacred Heart Catholic Parish, volunteered for several years with the Glendive Hospital Auxiliary and was actively involved in the inception of hospice care in Glendive. She was bright and witty and unabashedly spoke her opinion, especially concerning politics. Pat was an avid reader, an ardent crossword puzzler and could recite any rhyme she ever heard.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Mark; daughter, Patty Pagnotta; son-in-law, Gary Pagnotta; two brothers, Francis Rice and Gordon Rice; and one sister, Jean Evans.
Survivors include daughters, Molly (Scott) Reed of Phoenix, Ariz., Ann (Ron) Frazer of Billings, and Teresa Hathaway of Glendive; sons, Pete (Marlo) of Tucson, Ariz. and Paul (Colleen) of Madison, Wis.; twelve grandchildren, Jason, Nick, Rachel, Leah, Noelle, Mariah, Jake, Meagan, Garth, Patrick, Betsy and Kelly; ten great-grandchildren, Sawyer, Henry, Peter, Aidan, Jack, Lily, Sofia, Mallory, Fiona and Mary; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials are suggested to Glendive Medical Center Hospice, 202 Prospect Dr., Glendive, Montana 59330 and Glendive Public Library, 200 S. Kendrick Ave, Glendive, Montana 59330. Those who choose to send flowers can contact The Flower Basket in Glendive.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.