Patricia Ann Titus

Patricia Ann Titus, 82, departed her loving family peacefully on the evening of February 2, 2023, in the comfort of her own home on Third Street in Cle Elum, surrounded by her daughter and granddaughters.

Patricia was born in Wenatchee on May 16, 1940 to Leona Lydia (nee’ Heimbigner) and Herman John Schorzman. Of proud Volga German heritage, she was raised in Odessa, Washington at the Heimbigner family dairy farm. This is where her lifelong love of horses began, with her very first beloved palomino mare, “Lady”. After returning from WW2, her father moved their family to Burien, Washington in order to begin his career as a shipyard superintendent. It was quite an upset for her to move from the country life she loved to be in a busy city, but she made the trip home to Odessa as often as she could to be with family, friends and her horse. Pat made the most of it and participated in a variety of clubs in junior high and high school, and also was a cheerleader. She graduated from Highline high school in 1958 and then attended the University of Washington majoring in Political Science.

In the late 1960’s, Patricia decided that the city life and her career in downtown Seattle was too much and longed for her rural roots.  This compelled her to make a move to a cabin and acreage she and her then husband, Roy Titus, purchased in Cle Elum, where she once again was able to own and ride horses. She explored all over rural Upper Kittitas County with her trusty chestnut Arab mare, “Sharlinn”. Pat made a real ranch of it, and through the years while raising her children, she also raised chickens, goats, cattle and numerous other pets. She tended to a small orchard and always had a beautiful garden of flowering perennials, as well as a prosperous vegetable garden and a berry bramble that her children had the privilege of eating from. One of her happiest moments was when her parents retired and moved to Cle Elum in the late 1970’s, building a home on property not more than an acre away from the ranch.

Patricia was mother to Gregory Alan and Jennifer Michelle who, ironically, both shared the exact same birthdate, month and day, 18 years apart. She raised each of her children with love and devotion and later played a major role in helping to raise her granddaughters in the same loving way.

Patricia owned a small business in Cle Elum for many years before trying her hand at Real Estate and later working for a stock market seminar company that provided her with the opportunity to travel and adventure all over the United States. Her hobbies included cooking, gardening, playing the piano, traveling, bird watching, reading extensively about history, studying Eastern Washington Geology, and horseback riding. Some of her favorite adventures later in life included a two-month long backpacking trip with a friend, by Eurorail, all over Europe.  On another trip a few years later, she was accompanied by her father for two months in Greece and the surrounding areas of the Mediterranean. She had many exciting and interesting stories to tell of her adventures.

Her family will miss her love, intelligence, advice, her laugh and smile, and most of all her silly and playful sense of humor, reserved especially for her loved ones.

She is survived by her daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Larry Buchanan; granddaughters Kiera Simone and Jordan Lela. In addition to the children and grandchildren she doted on, Patricia is survived by her cousins Don Strate and Linda K. Spencer of Davenport, Greg Strate of Spokane and Judy Boljat of Vancouver, WA.

Patricia was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Herman and Leona, as well as all of her aunts and her uncle and, most recently, her beloved son Gregory Alan Titus, who passed away much too soon in March of 2020.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023 at Johnston & Williams Funeral Home in Cle Elum. She will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony in the Odessa Cemetery beside her parents and grandparents.

Memorial contributions in Patricia’s honor are suggested to Hearts and Hands of Kittitas County (formerly Hospice Friends), 302 E. Second Ave., Ellensburg, WA 98926. Alternatively, if you are fortunate enough to still have your Mom, please just give her a hug and tell her how much you love her.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Cle Elum.  Online condolences may be left for the family at www.johnston-williams.com

PLEASE NOTE: (January 11, 2024) -- The recording of this service has been archived and removed from our server.  If you wish to obtain a copy of this recording on a thumb drive, please contact our office.