Geraldine Patty Scott passed away on May 5, 2015 in Portland, Oregon at the age of 92. And as she herself would say, «other than that, everything is fine.» Everybody she knew referred to her by the name Pat, Patty or Patricia Scott as she decided at an early age that she preferred these names to Geraldine. In fact, the name «Geraldine» was never mentioned by Pat. The decision to go by Pat, Patty or Patricia pretty well summed up the kind of independent woman she was and how she went about life.

Pat was born July 22, 1922 in Fedora, South Dakota to Dale Scott and Frances Lydia (Ingalls) Scott. Her father was an artist, and laborer, and her mother cleaned houses for well off families. Pat’s family moved frequently and school records show she attended schools in Mapleton, Denison, Sac City, and Clarinda, Iowa, and completed her formal education receiving her High School Diploma in 1940 and her Teaching Certificate in 1941, both from Wells High School in Minnesota. Despite all the moves and school changes, Pat was an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society in junior high and high school.

Pat became a stewardess for Northwest Orient Airlines during the golden age of air travel. She flew regularly to the orient, primarily Japan, and became interested in many forms of Japanese art and culture.

In 1946, Pat married Jehu «Jay» Stickel, a young Northwest Orient Airlines pilot. At that time, stewardesses were not allowed to be married and Pat had to leave the airline. Tragically, just 14 months into their marriage, Jay’s plane crashed into an Alaskan mountainside and Pat became a widow at age 26. No longer held back by airline rules, she returned to the job she loved and continued to travel.

As a senior stewardess on a world class airline, or perhaps because of her charm, good looks, and million dollar smile, Pat was afforded opportunities no longer available today. She amassed a sizable collection of Japanese dishes, art objects and even furniture bringing home a few pieces at a time on each of her round trips to Japan.

In 1961, Pat married David A. Lewis in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. In 1975, she married John Krauss. Both marriages ended in divorce and both David and John are now deceased.

Pat was always «well put together,» impeccably dressed and in fashion. Perhaps because of her interest in clothes, Pat was involved in a number of businesses in the fashion industry. She was part owner of a leather coat manufacturing, sold wedding dresses, made hats, taught hat making, and designed and sewed high end fashion for her personal use. She loved all types of jewelry from cheap costume to fine and was usually coordinated down to the style and colors of her earrings and nails.

Never seeming to be content for long anywhere, in addition to South Dakota, Pat was known to live in Iowa, Illinois, San Francisco, and La Jolla, CA, Seattle, WA, the Florida Keys, Pine River, MN, and Portland, OR.

It was during her time as a stewardess that Pat met Captain Bob Brennan, a pilot at Northwest. Although they never flew together, they became great friends and enjoyed a special relationship until his death in 2009. Both travelers their entire lives, they continued traveling in retirement with numerous trips to England, Ireland and Mexico as well as covering the United States many times.

Pat was predeceased by her parents and husband. She is survived by a cousin on her mother’s side, Gloria Faye Truman of Howard, South Dakota, and on her father’s side, cousins Lavina Nadeau of Portland, Oregon, and Nadine Buttemier of Howard, South Dakota as well as extended family.

One of Pat’s wishes for the end of her life was to live at home as long as possible. She passed away peacefully in her apartment at Hawthorne Gardens Senior Living Community in Portland, Oregon after a very brief illness. Per her wishes, there will be no services. Following cremation, her ashes will be scattered at one of her favorite places, La Jolla California. Donations may be made in Pat’s name to your favorite charity.