Early on Tuesday morning June 25th the text message came in two simple words. “She’s Gone.” The text was from Trisha Clayton, who was much too emotional to talk, but still wanted to relay the news that her mother Pat Jamieson’s battle with cancer was over.
Early on Tuesday morning June 25th the text message came in two simple words. “She’s Gone.” The text was from Trisha Clayton, who was much too emotional to talk, but still wanted to relay the news that her mother Pat Jamieson’s battle with cancer was over.
Pat, a 16-year resident of Avalon had spent the last weeks of her life in San Francisco with her daughter and only child Trisha who was probably most responsible for Pat coming to live on Catalina in the first place. Trisha ventured to Avalon to live and work in May of 1997; her mother followed suit only four months later to live near her daughter in a place that she’d always dreamed of.
The pair were fixtures among the community with Trisha being involved in the hotel/hospitality industry and Pat taking on projects with startup tour businesses as well as working with the Avalon Chamber of Commerce and The Catalina Islander newspaper.
After Trisha left Avalon and found a new home in San Francisco, her mother remained on the Island while thoroughly enjoying the benefit of visiting her daughter in the Bay Area and retaining her home on Catalina—giving Trisha and Pat the best of both worlds in California.
Pat loved Catalina’s Southern California weather about as much as she did San Francisco Giants baseball, and being able to live in Avalon while traveling to see Broadway shows, live music, museums and even catch her first/last Giants game on May 30 in San Francisco with her daughter was practically nirvana.
Pat grew up in Chester County, Pennsylvania, which is an awful long way from a west coast Island, but travel was a big part of her spirit as it represented adventure, something she enjoyed throughout her life.
Island living suited her and her passion for Catalina and Avalon deepened over time. Pat often said that she had found her little slice of paradise in Avalon, although she openly raved about her beautiful Pennsylvania hometown as well as her love of San Francisco and the great “crew” of family that she found there through Trisha.
She is survived by her mother, one older, and two younger brothers… and of course, her life’s love and joy, her daughter Trisha.
Since Pat’s heart was equally at home in Pennsylvania, Avalon and San Francisco, three separate celebration of life services will be held in each location with portions of her ashes spread amongst each area. The dates for these gatherings will be announced at a later date.
The consensus of her many friends in Avalon is that she will be deeply missed, as her friendships were certainly some of the most important aspects of her life.
On the morning of her passing, perhaps it was somewhat coincidental if not poetically fitting that Avalon experienced a gray and drizzly start to the day. I like to think that it was a few of Pat’s tears trickling down from above as a final farewell to her beloved Island friends and home.
Editor’s note: Having worked with Pat Jamieson in her last days at the Catalina Islander, I can be sure she will be greatly missed by the Island city.
She always expressed her deep affection for Avalon’s people and was happiest when working to help her neighbors and enrich the lives of local residents and visitors. Pat felt a great rush of pride when she wrote about her feelings for the town in a few of the guest columns she penned in the newspaper during her last year. Writing was a new adventure for this classic rock and roll fan, loving mother, adoring daughter and friend to all.
Tribute messages about Pat Jamieson may be left on The Catalina Islander’s Facebook page, at facebook.com/thecatalinaIslander.
– Dennis Kaiser
