Daily Sitka Sentinel

Patricia Diamond, Longtime Sitka Resident, Dies at 78

Patricia Diamond

Longtime Sitkan Patricia Diamond passed away here on January 14, 2022, after  a short battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 78.

Pat was born May 9, 1943, in Boise, Idaho. She came to Sitka as a young woman, looking to reconnect with family members living in Sitka. From age 18, she continued to reside here except for a few times when she lived elsewhere in Alaska. She was in love with Sitka, and after divorcing her first husband she remained here and raised her children.

Then she met her soul mate, Harold Diamond, and they created a special blended family, of her kids and his. It worked very well for all of them.

“They were so fair and treated everyone equally,” one of the kids wrote. “It was a wonderful thing for her to share her love with all of us. We all had our own special bond with Pat – she gave us all her undivided attention when we needed it.”

Pat was very crafty and could assemble, build and arrange just about anything. Designing, sewing, knitting, crocheting were her indoor passions. But she really loved the outdoors and even lived off grid at Chatham Cannery for three years with her husband, Harold, who also loved to be outdoors. They commercially fished on the boat F/V Solitude for many years.

They both worked for Alaska Lumber and Pulp, as well.

Pat loved to garden – her yard was a little sanctuary for her to have her peace and quiet while beautiful flowers bloomed along with a few vegetables here and there.

Pat worked various places in Sitka over the years. She worked at Spenard Builder Supply for 20 years, and designed quite a few kitchens and bathrooms.

She retired from Spenard in 2015 and was off to retirement. She enjoyed traveling to be with family. Her kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids lived primarily in Alaska, Washington and Oregon so she was free to spend her time with family and friends whenever she got the chance.

She continued to enjoy her friends, crafting, gardening and building things until the last six weeks of her life.

Pat was preceded in death by her son Ricky (1988); her husband Harold (2010); stepdaughter Brenda (2020); and various other family members over the years.

Pat had many people in Sitka who were her and Harold’s lifelong friends, including Candi Barger and her family, Clarice and Troy Bayne, Michelle and John Cleaver, Jim and Sue Penny, and Walter Pasternak, just to name a few.

Pat leaves behind her and Harold’s children, Tonya, Kelly, Debbie and Clint; her sister Debbie McErlain (Jascel, Blake and Megan); and many other nieces and nephews.

She also is survived by many grandchildren: Brenda and Gary’s kids (Tonya, Tasha, Levi), Debbie and Bart’s kids (Amy, Tabitha, Austin, James), Clint and Cathy’s kids (Amanda, Hailey, Lacey, Jimmy, Travis), and Kelly and Gabby’s kids (Ricky and Ashley); and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Condolences can be sent to: Pat Diamond family, 103 Bahovec Court, Sitka, AK 99835.

Memorial donations can be made to the Sitka Cancer Survivors Society, P.O. Box 1624, Sitka.