Patricia Ellen Chay

Resident of Los Altos

Patricia Ellen Chovanec was born in 1953 in Oakland California. No one could pronounce her last name correctly so in 1975 she married Thomas Edward Chay and traded it for another last name that no one could pronounce correctly.

Pat had several phases in her career, but her favorite was the many years she spent as a librarian for the Mountain View Los Altos school District. Her health forced her to resign from that job in 2011, Otherwise she probably would have still been doing it last month.

When you think of Pat you think of sewing. Teaching sewing classes, teaching her grandchildren to sew, making clothes, quilting, embroidering, shirts for many, but with matching underwear only for her husband Tom. She made children’s clothes, dolls clothes, her son’s dress shirt, and her daughters wedding dress. Possibly one of the two great sewers in 21st century Los Altos

Pat’s health was compromised in recent years but she was still able to travel some, and dote on her grandchildren. She loved to walk around Baylands Park and watch the ducks, geese, and pelicans. For 40 years, she loved to see her friends every year at the Super Bowl party.

Pat is survived by many people that loved her, including her husband Tom Chay, her children Marilyn Hymes and Joe Chay, as well as her five grandchildren, Ayla, Jonah, Roman, Coco and Eli, with another granddaughter due in January, who unfortunately will never know her grandmother.

There will be a celebration of Pat’s life at the Shoup Park Garden House, 400 University Ave., Los Altos, at 1pm on January 24. All are welcome.

Those who would like to make a donation in Pats name could do worse than to choose the El Camino Health Foundation, 500 Grant Road, PAR 116, Mt. View, CA. 94040, with a note requesting that the donation be directed to Better Breather’s Pulmonary Rehab Fund.