Patricia Daniels Obituary

Patricia Daulton Daniels
September 11, 1941 - October 21, 2023
On October 21, 2023 our beautiful mom, Patricia "Patsy" Daniels, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family after a month's long battle with cancer.

This incredible woman wore many hats throughout her lifetime, and she accomplished incredible things, but her most precious titles were "Mom" and "Mums", as she was lovingly known by her three children, eight grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren.

Patsy was born in Newton, NJ on September 11, 1941, and her family moved to Biggs, CA when she was just 18 months old. Her father became the pastor of Biggs Methodist Community Church, and after a reassignment, the family moved to Clarksburg, and then to Yuba City where she graduated from high school.

She and our dad, William "Bill" Daniels, married in 1963 right after she graduated from Sacramento State University with a degree in education. She began her career at Proctor Terrace Elementary School and was a classroom teacher for ten years.

Patsy continued teaching until a family health emergency required her to leave that profession and begin working at the family business, Daniels Chapel of the Roses Funeral Home. Although she may not have sought such a drastic change, this new role catapulted her into a whole new world of opportunities.

Patsy had a true servant's heart and much of her adult life was focused on her desire to help others, particularly women and children who were trapped in difficult circumstances. As a professional businesswoman, Patsy joined Soroptimist International of Santa Rosa, and quickly rose to the top leadership positions locally, then regionally, and eventually she was elected to be the President of Soroptimist International, overseeing service projects around the globe. Her chosen theme for her biennium in office was "An Invitation to Excellence," and this phrase perfectly illustrated her desire to invite others to see the destitute and disadvantaged and respond with genuine compassion and practical assistance. During her tenure in office in the mid-90's, our mother spearheaded many exceptional projects, but one of her most influential was an effort to rescue and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking in Thailand. She focused on skills training for vulnerable young women who would then be capable of supporting themselves and their families, removing the need for these women to sell themselves or to be sold by their parents.

In addition to Soroptimist, Patsy served in many capacities throughout Sonoma County, including a term on the board of directors of the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts and the board at Ursuline High School. Also, since its inception, she has been an avid supporter of The Living Room, which assists women and children who are experiencing, or are at-risk of experiencing, homelessness. Through the funeral home, she served as the first female president of the Redwood Empire Funeral Directors Association and of the California Funeral Directors Association. Most recently, along with her great friend, Nancy Moran, she provided men's and women's clothing, toiletries, and personal care kits to many individuals served by Catholic Charities and they were constantly on the lookout for needed items. Her generosity knew no bounds!

As her three children – Dana (Jason) Fought, Wes (Carol) Daniels, and Aimee (Jay) Soles - we will remember her dedication to us and to her extended family and good friends, as well as her humor and unending support of even the craziest things we decided to do. Each one of us knew that our mother would love us no matter what, and she always tried to be our cheer leader-in-chief.

Patsy Daniels was the proverbial glue that held our family close together. She built a firm foundation on which we could form our own families, as evidenced by eight incredible grandchildren – Will Daniels, Kaitlin (Pat) Sgarlata, Anna (Isaac) Freese, Aidan Soles, Brent (Heather) Soles, Ethan (Mollie) Fought, Rhyan Fought, and Josie Soles - all of whom loved their Mums dearly, and she loved them abundantly and unconditionally. It is said in our family that each grandkid thinks he/she is the favorite! During the last several years, Mums also welcomed five great grandchildren – Harper, Newton, Henry, Thea, and Ada – all of whom brought her such great joy.

If you have had a conversation with Patsy in the last thirty years, then you have most assuredly been filled in on the latest happenings of all those listed above!!

This past June, Patsy and Bill celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. He loved her very much and was so proud of her many accomplishments throughout the years. He was happy to stay in the background so she could shine on whichever stage she happened to grace.

Patsy is also survived by three sisters - Joyce (Bob) Wisner, Shirley (Ray) Anderson, and Sheila (Mike) Chilton, and two brothers, Richard (Gwen) Daulton and Howard "Buster" Daulton, along with his wife Kathy Daulton, who was like a sister, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

We will miss our mom more than we can possibly say, but we are so grateful for her life well lived, and for the legacy she left that will undoubtedly bear fruit for generations to come.

Friends are invited to celebrate a Funeral Mass on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at 11:00 AM at the Star of the Valley Catholic Church, with a reception to follow. Private family interment.

To help keep Patsy's memory alive, the family would appreciate memorial contributions to The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts Memorial Foundation (lutherburbankcenter.org), The Living Room Sonoma County (thelivingroomsc.org), Catholic Charities (srcharities.org), or Soroptimist International of the Americas (soroptimist.org).