Patricia Anne Perreault (née Raymond) passed away peacefully in her sleep on Jan. 18, 2023, at the age of 90. She joins her beloved husband, William (Bill) Perreault; her parents, Pauline and Anthony; and her brother, James. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Michele, Stephen and Avtar, Suzanne and Frank, and Thomas and Meredith; her grandchildren, Laurel, Rigel, and Lena; her great-granddaughter, Hazel; and by her many nieces and nephews.
Pat’s doctor once made the mistake of calling her a small person, to which she took great offense. At 5-foot-2 tall, she never thought of herself as small, and most definitely in spirit, she was not. She was a force of nature; mini, but mighty. Nothing meant more to Pat than being a loving, supportive wife and mother. She gave fully of herself with unwavering, unconditional devotion. Her heart was big, generous, and protective, and she believed in doing everything with love. She supported each of her children’s individuality and was a proud champion of their accomplishments.
Pat was a passionate and fearless advocate for human rights, equality, and social justice. She was an activist, a defender of the downtrodden, a voice for the marginalized, a warrior for compassion, goodness, and truth. Through her life-long volunteer work, countless lives were enriched.
Born in Los Angeles in 1932, Pat grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. The poverty, struggle, and uncertainty of this period had an enduring impact upon her. Pat was the first in her family to attend college and she graduated from UCLA in 1953. She was employed at Hughes Aircraft Company in Los Angeles, and it was there that she met Bill. The two quickly fell in love and were married on New Year’s Eve, 1955. They were stationed with the military in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and soon found themselves living in Germany where Bill served as a lieutenant in the Army.
After two years in Germany – during which time their first child, Michele, was born – Pat and Bill returned to the Los Angeles area, where the other children were all born. Bill worked in the aerospace industry and Pat turned her energies to raising the growing family. Through the Catholic church to which she and Bill belonged, they also worked to support at-risk youth and communities.
The Perreaults moved to Evergreen, Colorado, in 1971. As the children grew, Pat tirelessly volunteered for numerous causes, many of them associated with the Catholic Church. She spent years volunteering with a food pantry and facilitating support resources for low-income families in Denver. She was awarded the prestigious Minoru Yasui Community Volunteer Award in 1986 for her service. Pat was also instrumental in helping establish the Open High School in Evergreen, from which Stephen and Suzanne both graduated.
Pat and Bill moved to Port Townsend, Washington, in 1988, upon Bill’s retirement. Pat continued her volunteer work and activism, most notably with PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), with which she served both as a member and director of the local chapter. In Port Townsend, Pat championed resources and education for the community, and for gay youth in particular. She wrote a column for the Port Townsend Leader on gay rights called, “Straight Talk,” and was active with the Human Rights Council in Port Angeles.
Pat spent her final years in Beaverton, Oregon, living with her daughter Suzanne, son-in-law Frank and granddaughter, Lena. She found her greatest joy in her children and grandchildren and seemed to relish her role as family matriarch.
We celebrate a life of generosity, selfless service, love, and compassion. There was nothing small about Patricia Anne Perreault.
Memorial donations may be made in Pat’s memory to PFLAG (pflag.org).
A private memorial service will be arranged by the family.
