Lois "Pat" Navickas

Lois "Pat" Navickas

10/11/1927 - 2/22/2019

Childhood Years

Pat began her life's journey in Chouteau ,Oklahoma, an early railroad stop, which became a thriving cattle area and whose current population is 2100.  Pat's father was Elmer L. Patterson an Arkansan and  her mother was Hallie KIng an Oklahoman.  Pat's entrance into the world was preceded by her  brother Lloyd.  The family's first trek westward was to-Arizona in order to alleviate her father's serious health problems.  A younger brother Charles Patterson was added to the family while there.  After the death of their father Hallie moved the family to California.  

In the children's early years the Hallie was not always able to care for the youngsters and they were placed in an orphanage.  Pat became the champion for her smaller brother Charles and this protective trait remained with her for the rest of her life. Hallie recognized a talent for dancing in Pat and enrolled her in Work Project Administration dance programs.  She learned and practiced tap dancing and quickly became the teacher's helper.

Teen Years

During her teen years the family resided in Downey, California where Pat often recited the story of watching the march of soldiers to to embarkation points in Los Angeles during the war.  In her senior year at Excelcior high school the family moved to Long Beach ,California. Pat finished her high school education in 1945 at Polytechnic high school. In her lifetime she she was always invited and always attended reunions at Excelsior until they were terminated due to low attendance. After graduation and with the war winding down, for a short period of time,  she became a "Rosie the riveter" in the Douglas Aircraft facility in  Long Beach.

Young Adult Years

As the war contracts waned she started school at Long Beach City College and simultaneously worked for the telephone company.  One day, while relaxing at the beach she met a young engineering student and football athlete fron USC named William Blackwell.  Soon the two were dating steadily and wedding bells were heard in the distance.  Bill and Pat were married on 28 November 1948.  The married couple began life in the Signal Hill area of Long Beach.

Family Years

On 12 September 1954 their daughter, Stephanie Lee, was born and was followed by a son, on 20 August 1960 and named William Thomas. III.  With a family to support and engineering oppurtunities dwindling,  Bill Sr. switched careers and entered the hospitality/restaurant business.  The family bought a home in the city of Orange,  California.  But after 14 years of marriage,  the strains of Bill's long hours,  the pressures of maintaining and building the customer base and that was combined  with the demands of an active home/parenting life.  This took its toll and the marriage eventually collapsed.  

Middle Years

Now alone and with two children to raise Pat returned to the work force.  She started out working in doctor's offices as a receptionist. and quickly learned the intracacies of the medical billing and compensation system.  But she remained family oriented. and devoted to her children. Working was a means of providing the sustenance and also the  extra-curricular support for her teen age children. She earned the tuition for her children to obtain private high school,  non-secular educations for both Bill and Stephanie. 

Working Senior Years

Pat continued her own education in the medical field at Santa Ana City College where she once again,  received an AA degree.  She was offered a position at ReviewCo, as a customer service representative in the worker's compensation field.  Over the years she rose to the position of Manager of Hearings where she appeared in court to defend the company's clients. With 26 years spent raising children and with Stephanie marriage and grand children starting to appear,  Pat decided to fulfill some of her desires. Her job was full of travel and she expanded that into her private life. Now in her early 60's she traveled to Hong Kong, Taiwan, England, Scotland Wales, and Australia.

Golden Years

In the early 90's,  Hallie encouraged her daughter to start dancing again.  Pat started at the Long Beach Senior Center with ballroom dancing.  She made friends, took classes and her skills were returned to her and even sharpened.  Along with her friend Jeanie Homan they traveled together to Blackpool, England to enjoy a Championship Gala Ballroom event. After their return Pat took-up West Coast Swing Dancing and added this style to her repertoire.

It was at a studio, on a Friday night, called the Imperial Ballroom in Buena Park that Jeanie saw an old dancing partner at the dance. They engaged in a conversation which was abruptly interrupted by someone asking Jeanie to dance.  Not to be outdone and also not to simply walk away from Pat,  the friend asked Pat, to dance.  After all,  the music was good, the atmosphere inviting and Pat was a stunner.

Facing each other on the dance floor, Pat pointed to her throat and said that she has had spinal surgery by cutting through the front of the throat to the rear spinal discs. Her partner thought that this was odd and said "Let's dance". More dances followed during the evening and pleasant "See you's" were said at the last dance.

At the Sunday afternoon West Coast swing dance social,  Pat was a "greeter" when Jeanie's friend showed up. She welcomed him to the dance and the spark was lit.  Pat was in high demand as a swing dancer because of her ability to spin quickly and evenly. But being in high demand at the various social dances limited her availability and the friend expressed some reservations about not getting enough time with her.  So the decision was mad,  the two would became a dancing couple.  Jeanies friends name was Stan Navickas and they were married on 22 June 1997.

Stan retired in 1996 and continued working at the Aerospace Corporation as a part-timer. Pat continued at her job with ReviewCo. With spare time now available, Stan started learning tap dancing at the senior centers which caused Pat to realize that work wasn't as much fun as dancing. So she announced her retirement and went "tapping" wuth Stan. The tapping and ballroom dancing continued for almost 20 years. Pat had two knee replacements and Stan had arthroscopic surgery on one knee.  Stan's resectomy in 2016 ended the tap dancing but it gave Pat an incentive to do more Country Line dancing. She continued country line dancing until the end.

On December 20, 2018 Pat tripped and fell after a half mile walk with Stan. Her hip was fractured but the recovery prognosis was positive. After a week in the hospital and three weeks in re-hab she returned home.  "In home physical therapy" was proceeding very well and she was preparing for a switch from walker to cane.  But she suddenly weakened and was taken to the emergency room.  It was originally thought to be a heart problem but more testing showed multiple clots in her lungs. Her heart never gave out until the second CPR was given. Stan was at the hospital holding her hand until he stepped away for some intravenous medicine to be refilled.

Eternity

Pat's Christian faith has sustained her through out her life. Her attendance at First Christian Church of Huntington Beach gave her so much joy and happiness.  Here she continued her activities of greeting the congregants, bible studies and financial support.  She was a winner all the way.

Mom's Obituary

My mom was born October 11, 1927 in Choteau, Oklahoma. She had an older brother Lloyd Franklin Patterson and her younger brother was Charles Jerome Patterson. Her parents were Hallie Marie King and her Father was Elmer Lloyd Patterson.

Due to her father’s heart problems they traveled out West to a warmer climate. Her brother Charles was born in Arizona. Then they moved on to Norwalk , California.

She married William Thomas Blackwell Jr. and had (2) children Stephanie Lee Blackwell and William Thomas Blackwell III. They lived in Long Beach until 1963 when they moved to the City of Orange in Orange County.

When Lois “Pat” found herself single again with two children not only did she go back to school to complete her AA degree she started in the work force all over again as a Licensed Optometric Assistant. She then had an opportunity to learn medical review. She excelled at that and became a part of Medata where she met life long friends to this day.

Before she retired at 71 she was a Workers Compensation Expert and also was an Administrator at Workers Compensation Medical Clinics.

Pat had (3) grandchildren from her daughter Stephanie. Robin Austin, Faith Rene’ and Jarett William Brown. She also had (5) Great Grandchildren Taylor Mae Brown, Jordan Ashley Smith, Austin Thomas and Logan Jarett Brown and Grayson William Brown. She has (1) Great- Great Granddaughter Ava Lynene Corbett from her Granddaughter Taylor.

She was very active in her Church, First Christian Church Huntington Beach. She has been a greeter there for many years. She was in Sunday School and so loved her friends there. But most importantly she loved her Lord Jesus so much. She has a legacy of prayer for all her friends and family’s needs. She prayed many of us into a relationship with Jesus Christ. I know that when she arrived in Heaven her Heavenly Father said “Well Done my good and Faithful Servant” Because she truly was a faithful servant.   

My mom was born October 11, 1927 in Choteau, Oklahoma. She had an older brother Lloyd Franklin Patterson and her younger brother was Charles Jerome Patterson. Her parents were Hallie Marie King and her Father was Elmer Lloyd Patterson.

Due to her father’s heart problems they traveled out West to a warmer climate. Her brother Charles was born in Arizona. Then they moved on to Norwalk , California.

She married William Thomas Blackwell Jr. and had (2) children Stephanie Lee Blackwell and William Thomas Blackwell III. They lived in Long Beach until 1963 when they moved to the City of Orange in Orange County.

When Lois “Pat” found herself single again with two children not only did she go back to school to complete her AA degree she started in the work force all over again as a Licensed Optometric Assistant. She then had an opportunity to learn medical review. She excelled at that and became a part of Medata where she met life long friends to this day.

Before she retired at 71 she was a Workers Compensation Expert and also was an Administrator at Workers Compensation Medical Clinics.

Pat had (3) grandchildren from her daughter Stephanie. Robin Austin, Faith Rene’ and Jarett William Brown. She also had (5) Great Grandchildren Taylor Mae Brown, Jordan Ashley Smith, Austin Thomas and Logan Jarett Brown and Grayson William Brown. She has (1) Great- Great Granddaughter Ava Lynene Corbett from her Granddaughter Taylor.

She was very active in her Church, First Christian Church Huntington Beach. She has been a greeter there for many years. She was in Sunday School and so loved her friends there. But most importantly she loved her Lord Jesus so much. She has a legacy of prayer for all her friends and family’s needs. She prayed many of us into a relationship with Jesus Christ. I know that when she arrived in Heaven her Heavenly Father said “Well Done my good and Faithful Servant” Because she truly was a faithful servant.   

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