Patricia Fern Bennett

Patricia Fern Standley Bennett left this earth peacefully to take that long awaited horse back ride with her father Bill along the great divide Saturday October 10th. She was at home surrounded by loving family and her "Bear Dog" Copper, a dachshund, her special companion.

The eldest of three children Patricia was delivered by Dr. Thornton at Thornton Hospital in Missoula March 31, 1930 to William (Bill) and Lucy (Daniels) Standley.

Patricia was raised in the Deer Creek, Pattee Canyon, and Turah areas. As a child she was known as Patsy. She was comfortable on horses at an early age, riding her fathers work horse Coalie by age 6. When she was 10 years old she bought her first horse, a Welsh and Cayuse Bay Mare horse named Peggy. She had her own team of horses by the time she was 13, helping her father in the woods skid logs. In her younger years you could often find her breaking horses, and using a war bridle to gather their horses off of Mount Sentinel.

Each morning she would ride her horse from their home up Deer Creek to the family homestead ranch in Pattee Canyon to catch a ride along with 10 other kids in Papa Daniels black panel truck to attend Central School on East Broadway. Even in the dead of winter!
When the family moved into Missoula near the Hale Field airport, (now where Sentinel High School is located), she would have to forge a trail in the snow for her sister, brother, and all the kids in the neighborhood about a mile to Paxson School. She often said she felt like a "Mother Hen". Later attending Missoula County High School.

Patricia met her husband Robert (Bob) Joseph Bennett at the Mint Bar in Stevensville. She told her mom and the bartender "Tiny" I'm going to marry that man...and she did. They had 10 children 5 girls and 5 boys, raising them mostly in Missoula.

Patricia had several careers in food service over her life, but was most proud of her accomplishment of becoming a journeyman butcher at age 51.
She was an extremely prideful, hard working, and compassionate person who never complained. At times working three jobs to provide for her family.
Family was everything to her.

In the early 1970's they purchased property up Fish Creek West of Missoula. The family spent summers at the cabin exploring every inch of the forest and creek. Patricia had a tender spot in her heart for animals and all things of 'nature'. On any given weekend you could find her and the family hiking the mountains near their cabin, collecting rocks, driftwood, and wild flowers. As the family grew with grandchildren and great grandchildren she spent countless hours sharing stories of her past, and her knowledge of nature with all of them...and many others.

Patricia was a strong resilient lady always helping and caring for someone. From the time her little sister Thelma and brother Merlen were born to taking in those who needed a place to stay, a meal to eat, and an ear to lend. She was a "rock" to so many.
She indeed was a strong lady and a "pistol", often saying "The reason she lived such a long life was that God and the devil were arguing. God said I don't want her up her yet and the devil said I don't want her down here as she will kick me out so they were leaving her on earth". Another saying we heard often was; "If the creek don't rise and hell don't freeze over we will still be alive".

She was preceded in death by her husband Bob, son Gregory, parents Bill and Lucy, sister Thelma, brother Merlen, and niece Lisa Lockwood Zimmerman.
Patricia is survived by her children; son Robert and wife Dawn of Missoula, daughter Linda Bennett of Bali Indonesia, son Gerald and wife Mary of Sumter South Carolina, son Jim of Frenchtown, daughter Margaret Olson of Frenchtown, daughter Kathleen Dickerson and husband Jerry of Spokane Washington, daughter Mary Cole and Russ of Missoula, son Dennis and wife Lorrie of Columbia Falls, daughter Julie Copeland and Richard of Haughton Louisiana, her brother in-law Charles Lockwood, and nephew Marty Lockwood of Bonner, niece Vickie Mast, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and numerous other relatives.

Patricia appreciated her long and active life, which the family invites friends to a celebration of her life at a service to be held at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home on Saturday, October 24th, at 1:00 pm. Messages of condolence for the family may be left at www.missoulafuneralhomes.com

A truly heartfelt thank you goes out to Patricia's care givers, doctor, and all the people from Partners In Home Care Hospice who gave their time tirelessly to care for our mom.
Memorial donations can be made to Partners In Home Care Hospice, 2687 Palmer St Ste B Missoula MT 59808, or a charity of your choice.

We will see you on the flip-side mom we love you the mostest!


Read Patricia Bennett's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.