Marian (Witte) Patane was born into a farming family in South Dakota in 1934. At the age of 12, during the Great Depression, her family, including her grandparents, moved to Southern California for post-war employment. The oldest of five children, she was considered a tomboy. Her brother claimed that “she was the best baseball player in Los Angeles” and found it difficult when his sister was chosen over him when choosing up sides.

That is where she lived and eventually married Frank Patane. A few years later they moved to San Francisco, where they raised six children, until Frank’s retirement and moved to the beautiful Sierra Foothills.

She was a very involved mother when it came to school and activities. She started a Girl Scout troop in an underserved area of San Francisco, was very much involved in the PTA of at least four different schools. She volunteered and organized a preschool “Tiny Tots” program at the neighborhood Rec Center. She enjoyed art, comedy, sewing, and making desserts. She became close friends with many of the parents of her children’s friends, and was usually the first to volunteer to chaperone field trips. In her retirement years she was an elementary school “grandma”, attended college, took the Bingo Bus to Reno, and enjoyed the buffet at Thunder Valley, while Frank played “Wheel of Fortune”.

Marian was preceded in death by Frank, her husband of 60 years. She loved and was proud of her children, over a dozen grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren.

Our heartfelt thank you the staff of O’Connor Woods/Laurel Point for the great care and friendship they showed to our mom for the past few years.

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