Patricia Ann Bernard

Patricia Ann Bernard, age 79, passed away peacefully on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Anchorage, Alaska, with her children in attendance. Pat was born on June 27, 1943, in Fort Worth, Texas, to Mary Ida Brown and Eugene C. Pendery Junior. She graduated from Albuquerque High School in New Mexico. She was married to Michael Whitehill and they had two children together: Chris and Julie. She later divorced and met Richard O. Bernard of Midland, Texas, while attending Odessa Community College. They were married and had one daughter, Susan. Pat, Richard and the three children resided in Houston, Texas, where Pat was an admitting clerk at Ben Taub County Hospital. In 1977, the family moved to Anchorage. There, Pat was a secretary in the Physical Therapy department at Providence Hospital. She had a wonderful sense of humor, remained jovial throughout her long life and, even after 45 years in Alaska, still had an unmistakable Texas drawl. Pat dabbled in jewelry making and loved quilting with Richard. She enjoyed traveling and was especially fond of trips to Hawaii. One of the highlights of her lifetime was a trip to New York City where she met Luciano Pavarotti in 1985. Pat loved books! She had a prodigious collection and felt deeply that the printed word was something sacrosanct. She taught her children that you can travel far and wide through the magic of a book. Pat also loved movies - especially classic movies with Bette Davis! She would quote from all her favorite movies with her family on a regular basis. Her other interests included cats, opera, football - The Cowboys - and raising her children, of whom she was very proud. She is survived by her three children, a son and daughter-in-law, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held at the Anchorage Pioneers' Home, 923 West 11th Avenue, on the fifth floor in the Tundra Lounge, on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, at 3 p.m., where you are welcome to share stories about Pat. If you'd like to remember Pat, you can donate, in lieu of flowers, to the Alaska Humane Society.