Beloved sister, aunt, great aunt, and great great aunt, Patti LaPointe, passed away on August 30, 2014 at the age of 98 years. She had recently celebrated her birthday at a party with her family at the care home where she was living.

Patti is survived by her sister, Betty Lee Baker; niece, Lynne Wright-Wilkinson (Chris); nephews, Steven L. Baker, D.V. M. and Stanley K. Baker; great nephews, Joey Wright, Joshua Wright (Missy), Jason Wright (Gina), James Baker (Kristin); and great niece, Amanda Young; great great nieces and nephews are Austin, Rylee and Haylee Wright, Joshua Gordon Wright Jr., Emma, William and Wyatt Wright, and Brayden and Leslie Young; also many caring nieces and nephews of the LaPointe family living out of state.

She was predeceased by her husband, Nick LaPointe, her parents, Arch and Bessie Taylor, her brother in law, Ron Baker and her nephew, Gordon W. Baker.

Patti was born on August 14, 1916 on her maternal grandparents farm near Gridley, Kansas. In first grade, Patti attended a one-room school-house near the farm. She later finished grade school when the family moved into town.

Just before her sophomore year in high school, the family made the big move from Kansas to California. This was during the great depression and was a challenging move for the family.

However, Patti was always an excellent student and adjusted well. She graduated from Ceres High School, Modesto Jr. College, and went on to graduate from University of California at Berkeley where she received her B.A. and her teaching credential.

She had a long and successful teaching career, culminating in thirty-one years at retirement. Patti took a short leave from teaching midway and accepted a managerial position at a large furniture store in Oakland.

It was at this time that she met her future husband, Nick LaPointe, and they married a year later. They moved to Gilroy, California and soon resided in a beautiful, country home outside of Gilroy.

Patti resumed her teaching career with the move to Gilroy. She had no children of her own, but dearly loved the first graders that she taught for so many years. She was a long time member of Delta Kappa Gamma and served two years as the president of the Gilroy chapter.

After the death of her husband, she moved to Modesto to be close to her family. She then transferred her Delta Kappa Gamma membership to a Modesto Chapter. She has been a long time member of Centenary Methodist Church in Modesto.

In retirement, Patti traveled quite extensively; she loved her garden, was an avid reader, and enjoyed the arts, attending many theatrical and musical productions. She was most generous to her family and many charitable organizations.

Her family has always been proud of the strength and dignity of their "Aunt Pat". She was loved and will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends.

We are most grateful for the caring attention of the caregivers at Temescal Manor, where she has been living this past year.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Franklin & Downs Funeral Home.

A funeral service is scheduled for Friday, September 5th at 10 AM at Franklin & Downs McHenry Chapel.

Graveside service to follow at Lakewood Memorial Park.

Published in the Modesto Bee from September 3 to September 5, 2014.