Josie Ruth Evine Patrick

Josie Ruth Evine Golberg Patrick passed away Saturday, May 31, 2014, at The Springs of Missoula at the age of 96 with family at her side.

She was born Dec. 28, 1917, to Carrie Mathison and Adolph Golberg on the family farm north of Rudyard. She attended both country and town school in Rudyard, where she graduated from high school in 1935. On Oct. 22, 1938, she married Clarence Patrick and together they worked the family farm homesteaded by her parents in 1914.

In 1954, they moved to Rudyard with their five children, where their home was often the gathering place for both Golberg and Patrick family holidays. Ruth loved to garden, sew, crochet and play pinochle and golf (two holes-in-one!). She and Clarence enjoyed traveling as well. She celebrated her Norwegian roots by making lefse, sandbakkels and rosettes every Christmas.

In 1967, the family moved to Missoula so all five children could get a college education. Though she never learned to bike, to swim or to ski, she made certain that her children did.

Grandma Ruth was the hostess extraordinaire at Swan Lake, where the family spent summers. Hundreds of family friends, relatives and Depot Restaurant crew enjoyed her hospitality and good cooking. She and Chauncey retired to Swan Lake in 1972 and spent winters at Lake San Marcos, California, until his death there in 1985.

She moved to Clark Fork Riverside in Missoula in the fall of 2010, where she lived until November 2012. She enjoyed reading, playing solitaire and completing word searches.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; children, Lowell, Kenny and Pamela; brothers, Palmer and Arnold; and sisters, Esther and Carmen. Survivors include her daughter, Peggy Patrick (Robin Hamilton) of Missoula; her son, Scott (Sue) of Swan Lake; five grandchildren, Ian Hamilton of Missoula, Kenny Patrick of Bozeman, Jessica Bryant (Tyler) of Great Falls, Kari Raines (Brian) of Bozeman and Jefferson Langley (Leilah) of Spokane; two great-grandchildren, Byron and Brenden Raines; "adopted" son, Mike Munsey of Missoula; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A special thank you to the Springs Memory Care staff, who took such loving care of Ruth the last year of her life, and to Aspen Hospice.

A celebration of Ruth's life will be held at her home on Swan Lake in mid-August for all family and friends. Contributions in her name may be made to the Swan Lake Chamber & Community Club, P.0. Box 993, Bigfork, MT 59911, where a garden will be established in her honor.

Cremation has taken place. Condolences and memories may be left for the family at missoulafuneralhomes.com.
Read Josie Ruth Patrick's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.