Patricia Jo Chance

June 29, 1952 – September 18, 2025

Patricia Chance of Portland Oregon, passed away from cancer on September 18, 2025, at the age of 73. Born on June 29, 1952 in Oakland California, she was the youngest of two daughters. She treasured many childhood memories but especially those of her father and grandmother who were nurturing and devoted to her.

Patt graduated from Whitworth College with a B.S. in Psychology in 1974 and then joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, drawn to its social justice mission. As a JVC volunteer, she served at what is now Metropolitan Public Defenders, helping the indigent and those struggling with mental illness and addiction to navigate the court system.

She earned an MSW in 1983 from Portland State University’s Graduate School of Social Work. Her post-graduate work included counseling individuals and groups at Phoenix Rising, an early support center for gay and lesbian individuals, and providing support and counseling at Our New Beginnings to women transitioning from prison back into the community.

Patt dedicated her life to helping others as a long-time Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in private practice and as a mental health case manager with the Oregon State Department of Corrections. Hired as one of the state’s first mental health case managers, she provided care to incarcerated women at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility and other state prison sites.

Patt was kind, empathetic, smart, generous, energetic, and scrupulously honest. Her quick wit, insights, and acute observations enriched any conversation. She excelled at cooking and loved hosting holiday meals for family and friends. She also loved traveling, whether it was to the Olympic Peninsula, Canada or Europe where she visited all of the countries bordering the Mediterranean as well as England, Turkey, and Morocco. These trips always animated her curiosity and sense of adventure, and over the years she would recall them fondly.

She and her partner, Donna, shared 42 memorable years together and married in 2018 after gay marriage became legal. They enjoyed many close friendships, lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico for a time, and then returned to Portland, drawn back to the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Over the years, Patt owned and cared for many dogs, all of whom adored her and their daily walks.

Patt is survived by her wife, Donna Schaeffer, and many long-term friends. Special thanks to her devoted friend, Jaye Akey, and the compassionate health care team at Signature Hospice who cared for Patt in her final months. Per her wishes, she was cremated and her ashes will be scattered at her favorite dog walking spot on the Columbia River.

Donations in her memory may be made to the ACLU, Amnesty International, or the Oregon Food Bank.