Patricia Nelle Day

Patricia (Patti) was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Nelle and Joseph Summers on December 23, 1955. Patti was always called a Christmas baby, with her birthday celebrations competing with the holiday season. In 1957, Patti and her mom moved to central California to be near her mom's sisters. Her mom had a great work ethic while working at a local diner; she was able to purchase it within a couple of years, when the current owner presented her the opportunity. Mel's Drive-in became their work place as well as their home, since it had a little apartment in the back. It was hard work and took long hours of dedication to a business. The apartment had fantastic Knotty Pine wood panel walls, which Patti was in love with her entire life. As with any family business, Patti started working in the restaurant at a very early age. In the small quaint town of Lindsay, the restaurant was the morning gathering place for farmers and local businessmen. Being in a heavy citrus production area, the farmers were out all night, protecting their crops from the freezing temperatures. The restaurant was open early to serve meals and coffee to the farmers and their workers. Patti helped by waiting tables, so much so, that in 1963, the customers presented Patti with an award for the Worlds Cutest Waitress. She was 9 years old. Patti attended Lindsay schools, graduating high school in 1974. Her son Chris was born in 1975. It was a big responsibility for a single mom, but Patti accepted that challenge.

Patti started work at Beckman Instruments on the assembly floor in 1979. Patti had a very good work ethic instilled in her at an early age. At Beckman, hard work was recognized and those individual were promoted. Patti advanced at Beckman Instruments, becoming a Production Planner. That was her position when she retired in 2018 after 39 years with Beckman-Coulter. In 1983, Patti met Tim Day at a Beckman Instrument Company bowling league. Tim was friends with many of her co-workers, and many people thought Tim worked for Beckman Instruments. They were married September 10, 1983, creating a family unit that lasted more than 40 years, until Patti's passing.

Patti gained a bonus in marrying Tim. She added a loving mother-in-law Ione, 3 sisters: Vickie, Karen and Peggy, as well as a brother Dan. Family was very important to Ione, and she was insistent on getting together for family birthdays; January/February, April/May, June, September and November/ December. Now as a sister, Patti was included in Black Friday and Small Town Saturday shopping excursions, Sister Weekends, Cousins' Weekends and spur of the moment shopping trips, when a sister needed to buy something special.

Patti also had interests outside of work, Princess House parties and Christmas around the World parties, just to name a few. Christmas season was always a big house decoration time of year. In 1986, Patti started collecting 24 inch tall Christmas Bears. Every holiday season, it was a search to get that year's Christmas Bears, which had the year on the bottom of the foot. Each year's bear was a little different in dress or color; white, black, burnt umber, chestnut, or cigar brown. Some of them were dressed in a stocking cap, a vest or sweater, a scarf, a top hat or derby. There was a Papa and Mama bear each year, so therefore you had to purchase the couple. This collection continued to grow by at least 2 bears each year. Sometimes a family of 4 was purchased, when 12 inch tall Christmas bears were also available (son & daughter). By 2023, the Christmas Bear collection had grown to over 70 bears, maybe a bear or two more, for each year from 1986 thru 2023. Patti said for many years that someday she would have to stop buying Christmas bears. She made that decision in early December 2023, no 2024 Christmas Bears.

Retirement always comes with new challenges to stay busy. Patti joined the Beckman Retirees group, the HOT TAMALES group and joined her husband with membership in the Rollin Relics Car Club of Porterville. With the car club, there is always a car show or Cruise Night somewhere every weekend. Many vacations to the coast, Laughlin or Reno Hot August Nights revolved around car shows.

Patti was battling minor health issues for the last 10 months which became a major concern with an abnormal blood test the latter part of October. Her medical team of doctors went through the proper progression of tests, with a hematologist coming on board when lymphoma was diagnosed at the end of November. A Bone Biopsy was performed the latter part of December, to diagnose the exact type of cancer, so her treatment could be pinpointed. Unfortunately, Patti's condition deteriorated to critical. She was admitted to Kaweah Delta ICU on January 7th and passed away on January 11th. Patti succumbed to a very aggressive CLL Lymphoma in a very very short period of time. The family would like to thank the following medical staff for their dedication to Patti's care: Dr Laurence Ginsburg, Kaweah Delta ICU attending RN's Wyatt, Sandy, Matt, Reed, and associated LVN's, Dr Steven LaCombe, Dr Karcher, Dr Guna, Dr Shull, Dr Cho, Dr Sharma, and Dr Chatrath.

Patti was a faithful member of Zion Lutheran Church in Terra Bella for 40 years. She had a gentle loving faith, that she showed as she loved and cared for family and friends. She is survived by her husband Tim of Lindsay, son Chris Day (Christie) of Lindsay, granddaughter Madison Scott (Geoff) of Clovis, grandson Sean Day of Porterville, sister-in-Laws Peggy Holcomb of Reedley Vickie Rosalli of Folsom, Jacque Babbitt of McKinleyville, , brother-in-Law Richard Bailey of Reedley, nieces Carol Huey of McKinleyville, Jenny Force of Bakersfield and Kimberly Zito of Terra Bella, nephews Morgan Day of Porterville David Dedmore of Fresno, cousins Mary Gum of Lindsay, Liz Sayre of Exeter, Tom and Eva Day of Terra Bella. Patti was preceded in death by her father Joseph Summers, mother Nelle McGee, brother Carr Cathy, grandsons Jacob Day and Benjamin Day, mother-in-law Ione Day, sister-in-Law Karen Bailey, and brother-in-Laws Dan Day and Bob Rosalli.

Services will be held on January 27, 2024 at 11am at Zion Lutheran Church, 10341 Road 256 in Terra Bella, Ca. 93270. Interment will follow immediately after the service, at Zion Lutheran Cemetery. A Celebration of life will be held in the Zion Lutheran Church Multi Purpose Room. Memorial donation may be made to Zion Lutheran School, P.O. Box 10239, Terra Bella, California. 93270

Arrangements are being handled by Myers Funeral Service and Crematory, 248 North E Street, Porterville, California 93257. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.myersfuneral.com