Patricia Ann (Kolb) Smith

Patricia (Patsy, Pat) Ann Smith, 87, of Portage died Wednesday, December 2 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, MI following a stroke.

Born May 26, 1933 in Brooklyn, NY, Patsy was the daughter of Marion Elizabeth Burns and Charles Emanuel Kolb. She was a graduate of Bishop England High School in Charleston, SC and later attended secretarial school.

She met her future husband, Bill Carel Smith, a Marine Corporal at a Catholic social dance in SC. They married April 11, 1953 in Stella Maris Roman Catholic Church on Sullivan's Island, SC. Patsy and Bill had four children, Timothy Michael, Mary, Teresa Lyn, and Cynthia Ann.

Patsy was a homemaker and stay at home mother until husband Bill was honorably discharged from the Marines after thirteen years of service. When their children reached school age, she entered the workforce, juggling family and work from the 1960's through the 1980's. Her working life included positions in NJ as a receptionist with the Air National Guard, a production expediter for Columbia Records during the Motown era, and an engineering secretary for Wheaton Plastics. In CA she worked in accounting at the Ventura County Star Free Press. In Kalamazoo, MI she worked as a playground supervisor at St. Monica School, a lunch lady at Hackett High School, and in her 70's a customer service representative at the Kalamazoo Gazette where she was known as 'Momma Pat.' Her kind and loving nature, humor, feistiness and sweet smile enriched the lives of everyone who knew her.

As a mother, she was attentive, gentle and loving, always creating a warm and welcoming home and making holidays and birthdays special for her in California with her family. In later years her granddaughters Jessica and Ashley were a source of joy, and just this year she rejoiced in meeting her new great-granddaughter Freya. She enjoyed watching TV, especially The Outlander and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She was a lifelong Democrat and proud of her Irish heritage. She loved baked goods of all kinds, especially cinnamon buns.

Pat was preceded in death by husband Bill, daughter Mary, daughter Cynthia and son Timothy. Despite her losses and significant health crises, through her strong Catholic faith she somehow retained her gracious and sweet nature. She truly was a beautiful soul and will be deeply missed by those who loved her.

She leaves behind daughter Teresa Lyn of Sequim, WA; granddaughter Jessica (W. Teran) Ishmael of Coloma, MI; Ashley (Chris) Steward of Portage, MI; sisters Joan Conway and Kathy (Dave) Salvatore of NJ, daughter-in-law Brenda Hammer of GA; cousin Bill Watkins and his partner Brenda Mosler, and cousin Marion Kennedy, all of Sequim, WA; several nieces and nephews; and her dear friends Karen, Sue, and Denise of Kalamazoo, MI.

A virtual memorial service for Patsy's family and friends will be held Wednesday, December 9th at 11:45 AM (EST) / 8:45 AM (PST). When it is safe to be together again in 2021, we will honor Patsy with a Catholic Mass at St. Monica Church in Kalamazoo, MI followed by a special gathering for her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to the American Diabetes Association at https://www.diabetes.org/get-involved

Please visit Patsy's personalized online guestbook at https://www.langelands.com