Patricia Rawlings
courtesy photo
Patricia Rawlings
MESA, ARIZONA — Patricia “Pat” Jane (Bruner) Rawlings, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at her winter home in Mesa, Arizona. Pat was born on Aug. 24, 1928, in Myrtle Point, Oregon, to Sam and Anna Bruner(Delamater). She grew up with and was very close to her sister Virginia “Ging” Rauch. She was a graduate from Springfield High School and attended Business school in Eugene, Oregon. She was married to her high school sweetheart, Clifford Rawlings, on May 1, 1948, in Eugene, OR. Soon after, they began to start a beautiful family together and eventually a successful family business.
Pat was a beautiful, strong, vibrant, outgoing, and classy woman. She enjoyed dressing up, playing cards, golfing, traveling, dancing, a nice glass of red wine and enjoying life to its fullest. She enjoyed being around her family and friends and everyone she knew wanted to be around her and part of her life.
Pat was the epitome of “family matriarch.” Her lake house was always the center and gathering spot for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. There were also many late night business meetings and card games with family and friends. Everyone looked to her for advice. She was a professional business woman but family was the most important part of her life. Her quick wit and humor kept family, friends, and co-workers on their toes. Pat was co-owner with her husband Cliff, and eventually owner of Rawlings Construction after he passed. When she wasn’t taking care of her family and her business, she worked part-time as a professional wall-paper installer. Later in life she was the co-owner and operator of the Wash and Go laundromat and carwash in Polson.
Pat is preceded in death by her loving husband, Cliff; parents, Sam and Anna Bruner (Delamater); sister, Virginia Rauch; brother-in-law, Freddy Cave; and her sister-in-law, Ozella Rutherford.
She is survived by her children and their spouses, Craig and Carol Rawlings, Mike Rawlings and Irma Spencer, Pam and Bill Owen and John and Judi Rawlings. Pat has nine grandchildren: Curtis Owen, Matthew Owen, Brett Owen, Nick Rawlings, Kristin McGraw, Clifford (CJ) Rawlings, Darren Bedonie, Ren Owens, and Ame Boyce. Pat also has seven wonderful great-grandchildren: Ava and Hudson Owen, Keira and Lolo Owen, Piper Owen, Alec and Alaina Rawlings and Floyd Boyce. Pat is also survived by her nieces and nephews that she deeply cared about and a sister-in-law, Hazel Cave, whom she loved as a sister.
Pat’s family would like to share this poem about her to show how much they love her and miss her:
“A wife, a mother, a grandma too, this is the legacy we have from you. The world changes from year to year, our lives from day to day, but the love and memory of you, shall never pass away.”
The family plans to have a memorial at Pat’s Flathead Lake home in the summer of 2023.
