Our Mother, Patricia Ann Flaherty Mitchell passed away on Monday, June 20, 2022 just 5 days short of her 79th birthday.
Patricia was born on June 25, 1943 in Los Angeles, California to John Leo Flaherty and Valerie Estella Jones Flaherty. She was the oldest of three daughters, Colleen Kay (Richard Parrish) and Lisa Jean (Ron Taylor).
Pat grew up in Southern California. When she was 9 years old, she contracted Bulbar Polio. She was in an iron lung for 9 months. At one point she wasn’t expected to live through the night. She was given a blessing by her uncle that she would go on to live a full life. Eventually, she overcame her struggle with polio and went on to live an additional 70 years.
Following high school, Pat attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. It was here she met our Dad, Arlo G. Mitchell who had grown up in Spanish Fork, Utah.
They were married on January 19, 1964. They worked together to raise their family of six children, Clark John (Rhonda Jensen), Tracy Lee (Fred Ludlow) Matthew David (Julie Whitney), Colleen Kay (Michael Carrasco), Adam Carvel (Maegon Mitchell), and Cody Arlo Mitchell. Mom was also a stepmother to Arlo’s two sons Jed R. Mitchell (Sherri Leek) and Kris Simmons (Maria Robison).
On December 22, 1981 Arlo and Pat were sealed in the Provo Temple.
Mom was a voracious reader. As a young girl, she said that books were “her fuel for life”. Her love for reading continued throughout her life.
She was a valiant member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Throughout her life she worked to live the gospel as it had been taught and emphasized to her, in her youth, by her sweet grandmother.
Mom had a deep and devoted faith in the Savior and had a powerful understanding of the small things that would matter most to people.
She spent her life serving others and diligently completing her responsibilities in the LDS church. Pat served as the Relief Society President twice and taught the gospel principles in several different callings and capacities. She was fundamental in organizing and leading one of the first genealogy data extraction programs for the church. These programs were the pioneering softwares that allowed members to begin to upload genealogy records to computers and eventually online. She was an avid genealogist and felt a deep obligation and connection to her ancestors.
Our Mom had many friends throughout her life. She valued and invested her time and energy into building and maintaining close friendships.
She was a member of the Red Hat’s Society, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers and belonged to a book club, just to name a few. She spent many hours volunteering her time and talents in her community. She served with the Utah Association of Women and had many public speaking engagements. She was very patriotic and had a deep love of country.
Pat loved being in the mountains. Mom and Dad built a cabin near Fairview where they spent many days with family and friends. They also allowed other people to go and use their cabin when they weren’t there. Mom and Dad loved spending time with each other. She loved to go fishing with Dad, that was a regular get away. She regularly went hunting on the hill with her family and carried her own gun. She loved to watch football of all varieties and she and Arlo were season ticket holders at BYU for years.
Mom and Dad made our house a center of hospitality for all of her family and their friends. To this day their home still has a revolving door for the many people who come and go. Mom was a very significant figure in all of our lives. Her life has been an example to all of us on how to overcome obstacles and face our fears head on.
We will all miss her laughter and quick wit. Her self deprecating humor and her ability to laugh at things. We will miss her calming voice, her warm tight embrace and her steady commitment to the things she believed.
As a family, we are very grateful for the many hours of love and care given to mom in her final weeks. From hospice care nurses, neighbors, friends and ward members. We appreciate your support and your thoughts and prayers on her behalf.
Patricia will be honored with a viewing to be held on Friday, June 24, 2022 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 870 East Canyon Road, Spanish Fork, Utah from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Her birthday funeral will be in the same building on Saturday, June 25, 2022. Viewing from 9:45am – 10:45am followed by funeral services at 11:00am. Interment will be in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.
TO VIEW THE SERVICES VIA LIVESTREAM, PLEASE CHECK BACK HERE A FEW MINUTES PRIOR TO SERVICES BEGINNING AT 11:00 A.M. ON SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2022 AND CLICK ON THE VIDEO LINK BELOW.
3 Condolences for Patricia Ann Flaherty Mitchell
Condolences(3)
Larry and Sharon Creer says
June 23, 2022 at 8:22 pmPat was one of the people that made everyone feel like her dearest friend. She will always be that loving friend to me. I send to you her family our love and prayers.
Lesa Frakes says
June 25, 2022 at 4:46 amWe love our aunt Pat. Always had great stories to tell about the family and always made you feel as if you were her best friend.
Ray Scrafield says
June 8, 2026 at 7:11 pmHi, my name is Ray Scrafield. I grew up in Temple City, Ca. and went to Longden Ave. elementary school with Patricia. I recall he contracting polio and being at Rancho Los Amigos in Downey, Ca. I was so happy when she came back and had beaten that horrible disease. I always wondered what became of her and today, for some reason, I thought of her and did a search. I’m sad to find this obituary but happy to hear that she lived a wonderful full life. My memories of Patty were all great. She was a wonderful happy and very friendly person. Prayers for her and her family.