Patricia Barbara Willfong passed away peacefully at her McKinleyville home on February 12th, 2022. Words cannot express the pain and heartache friends and family feel at this time. She was a bright spark in this world and will be deeply missed by many.

Patricia Willfong was a lifelong Humboldt County native. She was born on June 10, 1946 and was adopted at the age of eight by Einer and Norma Olsen of Westhaven. Pat’s father immigrated from Sweden, and her mother, Norma, grew up in Castor Valley, California. Pat was raised in Westhaven on a beautiful property that her parents maintained. She grew up surrounded by the natural beauty of redwoods, weeping golden chain flowers, a lavish rose garden, and a garden that produced an abundance of fruit and vegetables for the entire family. The raspberries were her absolute favorite.

Pat married her high school sweetheart, Duane Willfong in 1962. She was a loving mother to her son Galen Willfong, and daughter Shanell Beyzade. She devoted most of her life helping her husband with their logging business. Pat loved fishing on Ruth Lake while Duane operated the logging company. In later years she spent endless summers with her daughter’s family, camping, fishing for blue gill, roasting marshmallows, and laughing—happy memories that will last the Beyzade family a lifetime.

Patricia was a homemaker whose passion was caring for others. She volunteered as a classroom aide at her children’s school in Trinidad, a committee member and PTA president. Her joy for life and indomitable spirit kept her active at the Westhaven Women’s Club, the Blackberry Festival, and the annual Ladies Club Bingo and Spaghetti Feed. Pat also helped establish and work at the Kebab Café, owned by her daughter and son-in-law Simon.

Patricia was preceded in death by her parents Einer and Norma. She is survived by her daughter Shanell and son-in-law Simon, granddaughters Jeyda, Tibel, and Ashkim Beyzade, great grand- children Liam Haggard and Jayden Anderson; her son Galen Willfong, and his children Christopher, Mackenzie, Colton and Garrett.

Pat loved butterflies. They would always land on her whenever she was outside. She would tell her family that in the next life, she would become a beautiful butterfly and they would remember her like this. Pat will be greatly missed by all those that she’s left behind, She was one-of-a-kind, and to be loved by her was to be truly blessed, While her family grieves her passing, they choose to remember her in a way that honors her free-loving spirit. The following poem was written by her great e granddaughter Jeyda.

You were a butterfly
I’d chase you thru the raspberry garden from time to time
Golden chain trees clovers to my knees
A child’s dream yah we had it good
You always made sure I had a soft place to fall
Your love was a solid one and a bond only which you and I would know
You were my butterfly
We’d escape into the trees tell secrets to the bees And catch blue gill on a string
We’d Roast Marshmallows on a stick
Go Froggin’ at the creek
You’d make our catch for supper as you always did
Then we’d laugh at the mash potatoes stuck on grandpas chin
I thought these times would never end
I wished we could do it all over again And again
You were my nurturer, my comfort, and my Forever friend
You were my butterfly
But butterflies must fly south in the wind
And for now they’ve carried you away But I know for certain, I’Il see my butterfly again, someday.

There will be a Celebration of Life held in Patricia’s honor at the Westhaven Fire Hall, 446 6th Avenue, Trinidad, on February 26th at 1 PM. Guests are welcome to bring flowers. 

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