Patricia "Pat" Zennie

Patricia Dorothy Pembroke Waltmire Zennie left this world on Saturday morning the 17th of November surrounded by her closest friends and family.  She was the picture of iron will, always displaying an elegant grace as she faced down a reoccurring battle with breast cancer. A Celebration of Pat’s life, with a meal prepared by the VFW Auxiliary, will be held at the the Veterans Memorial Club in Baker City, Saturday, December 1st at 3 p.m.

Patricia “Pat” was Born June 27, 1928. She was the daughter of Ross V. Loughran and D. Pembroke in Sacramento, California.  Pat was orphaned at an early age, a history she rarely discussed. She was raised by a collection of relatives in Pueblo, Colorado and Sacramento, California.  Her grandmother, a devout Catholic, saw to it that she attended a Parochial school and Mass every Sunday. That education left a lasting mark on her path through life.  

After high school, she attended college and worked at the Signal Depot, where she met and married James (Jim) J. Tackman an army airman. When his service was complete, they moved to the Tackman family’s homestead in the Central Oregon desert. Their two sons, James (Jamie) and William (Bill) were born there.  Jim was hired as the foreman of the 96 Ranch, the foreman position included a cook. Pat, having never cooked in her life was thrown into the job of ranch cook for 14 hungry hired men. Food for the crew showed up in a semi trailer, and when they set out 500 lbs of potatoes she knew this was a different world! She loved to brag that she had cooked every recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookbook.  In the late fifties, they scraped together a down payment on the Half Circle Bar Ranch in Burns. Pat loved the ranch life, they raised cattle, sheep, and the two boys. They sold the ranch in the early seventies, Jim and Pat parted ways, and started a new part of her life.

Always having a great eye for design, she started a shop selling jewelry, carpet, and art, which lead to a job in Bend, Oregon, where she met and married Ted Zennie.  A lumber salesman, his work had them living throughout the west, they traveled extensively, living life to its fullest. They found a “retirement” home in Baker City, but failed to retire. Working in Sacramento Ted was stricken with cancer. Upon his passing Pat returned to Baker. Life in Baker took some adjustment, but as with all things she was a glass half full person, and quickly went about building a new life, collecting friends as she went.  Chuck Risley, the good neighbor, that became a good friend, and later her partner. A long time Baker City resident, he broadened her horizons, introducing her to the fine art of shuffleboard, the relaxing pastime of summers spent camping near Sumpter, and the camaraderie of the VFW.

She was preceeded in death by Sally Shoemaker, all of her husbands, and survived by her partner Chuck Risley, two sons, a grand daughter, Katherine (Katie) Tackman, daughter-in-law, Polly Feehan, and  partner-in-law Katie Haven.

The last few months of her life were a true test for all, and the burden of that test was eased by the incredible help of the fine people of Heart n’ Home Hospice.  If you are inclined to offer a remembrances please do it in the form of a monetary contribution to Heart and Home Hospice or the VFW through Tami’s Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation Services, PO Box 543, Halfway, Oregon, 97834.  Online condolences may be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com