Obituary

Patricia Helen Burman passed away July 22, 2019 at the age of 86. Patricia (Pat) was born on St. Patrick’s Day, in Long Beach, California. Much of Pat’s childhood was spent in the San Francisco Bay Area; in 1944, at age 12 she lived for one year in Guatemala City, Guatemala with her mother and siblings.

Pat married the love of her life, Ron Burman, in 1952 and together they embarked on a lifetime of adventures. Pat moved with her husband along the Pacific coast as he managed construction projects for several companies; taking them to Oregon, Washington, and California. They thought that they had finally settled back in the San Francisco Bay Area until a moment of spontaneity brought them to the Yakima, Washington where they bought an 80-acre pear and apple ranch.

After living in Yakima for seven years, they sold the ranch and built a beautiful home on Orcas Island; they spent the next 27 years living on the island. Boating and sailing were a significant part of Pat and Ron’s life together and living in the San Juan Islands afforded them many opportunities to sail. They spent time cruising to Olympia in the summer months, often bringing their grandchildren along; and cruised the Canadian waters in the fall.

During Pat’s time on Orcas Island she became the second female Commodore of the Orcas Island Yacht Club. Pat’s leadership extended to president of the San Juan County Weavers Guild, charter member of the Orcas Choral Society, and leading a team to bring the Seattle Symphony to Orcas Island in 1979.

Pat was an insatiable learner, artist, sailor, and traveler. Pat was passionate about art, music, and literature. In her teenage years she studied piano, violin and voice. She loved her gardens and had a special affinity for birds. Pat became a fine weaver and spent 15 years weaving fabrics from which she tailored beautiful clothing; appropriate, as she came from a long line of tailors. Pat studied watercolor and oil painting, and charcoal drawing. She loved working on many different subjects, and her work could be seen in different venues on Orcas Island and in Bellingham.

Pat and Ron moved to Bellingham in 2000 to be closer to children and grandchildren. Pat quickly became involved in her new community. She joined the Museum Advocates, Allied Arts, the Horticultural Society, and worked on the Bellingham Festival of Music Auction Committee. A voracious reader, Pat was a member of several book clubs. She was known to connect neighbors by having neighborhood parties and inviting everyone to join in, sharing her lovely gardens and home.

Pat traveled extensively throughout Europe, the USA, and took sojourns to Africa, Mexico, and Asia with friends and family. When traveling with Pat she shared her extensive knowledge of art, politics, and history which was greatly appreciated.

Pat’s life was surrounded by the best of lifelong friends. Among them, the Suttons, Bloxoms, Statons, Corbins, Wiehls, Barrows, and Brets. Also, a myriad of book group, art group, museum advocate, music festival, and island friends, and all neighbors (Hannahs). Pat touched all our lives with her positivity, as a mentor and role model, she truly cared about all of us.

Pat can best be described as a leader, a force, kind, generous, curious, artistic, fun, gracious, and humorous. Pat loved chocolate, and with a mischievous glint in her eye she would never pass up a “chocolate” opportunity. She is a beautiful soul whose smile and laugh will be missed by all who knew her, and we will all laugh when remembering her stories of adventure and fun.

Pat was predeceased by Ron, her husband of 56 years, and her dog of 15 years, Chiquita (Chi Chi) Burman.

She is survived by her brother, Carl Kroesen; son, Bruce (Marianne)Burman of Port Townsend, WA; daughters, Cindy Burman-Woods (Greg) of Bellingham, WA; Carrie Fitzhugh (David) of Las Vegas, NV; 6 grandchildren and 4 great grandsons.

A celebration of Pat’s life will be held on September 8, 2019 from 3-6 p.m. at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal.