Mary “Pat” Cooley

September 13, 1938  –  October 3, 2023

Obituary

Mary Patricia “Pat” Cooley passed away at her home in Yreka on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 surrounded by her family. She was born on September 13, 1938 in Wooster, Ohio to Fay and Margaret (Hixson) Dall. She had many fond memories of her grandfather’s farm and her sister and cousins in Ohio. Her dad moved the family to Yreka in 1947 by train to work for his mother-in-law’s brother, Ike Riffel, at Riffel Motors.

Pat went to Yreka schools and graduated from Yreka High School in 1956. After high school, she went to work for Crocker-Anglo Bank. At a bank Christmas party, she met bank manager Charlie Cooley’s son Norman. They were married on May 2, 1959 and were married for 64 years. She stopped working outside the home to raise her family. She was a great cook, seamstress and crafter. She won many blue ribbons and sweepstakes at the Siskiyou Golden Fair.

Pat returned to retail work after her kids were raised. Many people will remember her from T-Shirt Towne, Payless and J.C. Penney. She retired on November 15, 2003. During retirement, she also enjoyed the wildlife around her house, going to hot air balloon fairs, especially riding in the balloons, and going to the coast.

Pat was preceded in death by her infant son Robert, her parents, her brother Butch, and her sister Nancy. She leaves her husband, Norman; son Jim (Wendy) Cooley of Montague; daughter Nanette Cooley of Yreka; grandchildren: Travis (Brittany) Simas of Montague, Josh (Jennifer) Simas of Yreka, Caressa (TJ) McCanna of Yreka, Sarah Cooley of Montague, Andrew Cooley of Montague, Britteny (Kyle Manchester) Cooley of Montague, Jacob Cooley of Grenada, Sam, Angelina and Angela Cooley, all of Montague; and eight great grandchildren. She also leaves her brother James Henry (Janet) Dall of Carson City, Nevada, her brother Andy (Shannon) Dall of Sedona, Arizona, and her cousins, nieces and nephews.

A rosary will be recited on Friday, October 13, 2023 at 7:00 PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Yreka. A Mass of Christian Burial will be said at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Yreka on Saturday, October 14, 2023 at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. A reception will be held at the Yreka Elks Lodge following the service.

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