September 29, 1948 ~ October 20, 2022
Born September 29, 1948 to parents Fred and Dolores (Welchert) Rimington. The second of 7 children, Patricia was a beautiful, happy child and enjoyed helping her mother take care of her younger siblings. Known as Patty growing up, she attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Grade School and Notre Dame Academy High School. On June 14, 1963 she met the love of her life, Thomas (Tommy) Tomasek. After a 5 year courtship, they were wed on November 23, 1968. Two months later Tommy was drafted into the U.S. Army and eventually served in Southeast Asia. September of 1969 their first daughter, Wendy Marie, was born. Patty was left to raise their child alone. With love, perseverance and some assistance from her family, she got through the next two years until the Lord brought Tommy back from the war. Soon they purchased a modest home in Ralston and their second daughter was born. They named their daughter Trisha Nicole (which derived from the name Patricia). Patty was fortunate to be able to stay home with the girls and 3 years later the baby of the family, Mandy Noel, was born. The house in Ralston was now too small. So in 1979, they packed up and drove to the burbs of Millard where they built the first of three houses in the area. Patty by now had become the World's Best Mother and she continued to thrive at her stay at home position. She drove a station wagon, went to Jazzercize, bought Avon, played bunco and bridge, chased the occasional fire engine, and somewhere along the line changed her name to simply, Pat. She was also active with the PTA and was honored as State Girl Scout Leader of the Year. In 1983, Mandy went off to Kindergarten and Pat began her career at Millard North Middle School where she would work for 26 years as the registrar secretary. Staff and students alike loved her and she loved them right back. She always had a friendly smile and was kind and helpful to everyone she encountered. She made numerous lifelong friends along the way at MNMS. Then in 2003, her life became complete when she was promoted to "World's Best Grandma" aka Grandma Patty/Mrs. T. Her 5 Grandchildren were incredibly special to her and she counted herself fortunate to live within a few blocks of all of them. She really took the time to get to know each grandchild individually. She did not like to miss out on any of their activities so you might have found Grandma Patty at a Dance Recital simultaneously streaming a basketball game. She enjoyed solving crossword puzzles with her husband over coffee, making holiday crafts, viewing Facebook posts of her extended family (she always commented with a kind or encouraging word and a cute emoji) and looked forward to her annual Gingerbread House party. She was truly loved by so many people but none as much as her husband Mr. T. In her last years, Mr. T took care of her just as she had cared for him (and the girls) throughout her adult life. The love they shared is a true example of selflessness. Not only were they husband and wife, but also best friends. We take comfort knowing Jesus was her Lord and Savior and one day we will be reunited with her in Heaven eternal. Pat will be greatly missed by so many people. She was preceded in death by her parents Fred and Dolores, her son-in-law Tom Welch, brothers-in-law Tom Gordon and Bob Rushing and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Tom; daughters: Wendy Welch, Trisha (Dan) Woelber, Mandy (Chris) Muller; grandchildren: Abbie, Luke, Max, Mason and Piper; siblings: Sharon Gordon, Fred (Lori) Rimington, Kathy (Lou) Sobczyk, Joan (Gary) VanSant, Gary (Lisa) Rimington, Colleen Rushing.
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