June 9, 1933 — Dec. 6, 2024
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Our mom Pat was born in Spokane. Interesting fact, her grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth Driscoll, were listed as her birth parents (at ages 75 and 61). She was cared for by her grandparents until Joe died when she was small. Mom’s uncle, Barney Driscoll, moved in to help support and raise her. They lived in Moscow and Spokane when she was growing up and attending Catholic boarding school. They also lived on a farm near Troy in the summer. She attended Holy Names College and graduated from Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Spokane.
She married Roger Asplund of Troy in September, 1955. They moved to Lewiston and had six children. Dad passed away from heart disease in January 1963, at age 36, three months before their youngest child Maureen was born. Mom was 29 when he died and remained a single parent. She took care of us with a little help from Uncle B, our relatives in Troy, and our wonderful Lewiston neighbors. She worked as a registered nurse to support our family and we had everything we needed. She was loving, strong, strict and hardworking. She loved us all the same with no favorites. She made sure we completed our education and knew how to work. She was a loving grandmother to our children and seemed happy just being mom and grandma.
When she was almost 70, mom surprised us and married a wonderful man she met while wintering in Arizona, Fay Garges. She gained another daughter, Marcia. Fay became great friends with our dad’s brother and sisters from Troy. Mom and Fay wintered in Arizona for 10 years. They also lived in Southwick, Spokane and Clarkston. Fay lovingly cared for our mom for the last several years as she had multiple health issues. Sadly, Fay passed away on Oct. 29 this year at age 97. Mom passed away 5½ weeks later. They were married for almost 21 years.
Mom is survived by the following children/spouses, their children and numerous great grandchildren: Chris/Brian Tank-Nate and Andy Tank, Diane Knewbow; Shannon/Tom Blaine-Meg Rust and Sam, Ben and Tobruk Blaine; Brenda Shipman-Sabrina Durant and Jack, Sarah and Shawna Baker; Eric/Debbie Asplund-Tayler Fuller, Morgan Asplund, Maddy Anderson, Sarah Zenner and Katie Unruh; Maureen/Guy Olson-Dena Berquist and Aaron Olson; Marcia/Rick Wehrli-Lisa Browne. She is also survived by her son in law Rick Taylor and his children Tracie Turner, Bobbi Thomas and Jayme Taylor; her brother and sisters-in-law, Bruce and Carol Asplund and Judy Spencer.
She was preceded in death by our dad, Roger Asplund, her oldest daughter, Terry Taylor, husband Fay Garges, half-sister Mary Hanigan, half-brother George Hanigan and sister and brother-in-laws, Betty and Clyde Bohman, Linda and Kenny Sandquist and Jim Spencer.
A celebration of life will be held in the spring/summer for Mom and her husband Fay Garges.
