Wanda Patterson, native of Kingsburg, CA, passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning of March 15, 2024 at the age of 89. She was suffering from heart failure but managed to host her weekly pinochle group at her Pine Mountain Lake home just five days earlier.
Wanda lost the love of her life, Gene Patterson, in 2010. They raised their four children in Santa Cruz where Gene taught junior high and Wanda was a homemaker who at times also worked at the bank. They enjoyed an active social life which often involved tennis at La Madrona Swim and Racquet Club. Wanda was an excellent cook and seamstress, and attended Twin Lakes Church every Sunday.
After retiring in 1994, the two moved to Pine Mountain Lake where they had owned a vacation home. Not intending to stay forever, they fell in love with the area and the community and never left. They spent endless hours on their pontoon boat in the summer entertaining their many friends and family. Wanda took up golf and joined just about every other club or activity the community had to offer. She volunteered in many capacities, including tutoring third graders in reading through Brainy Groveland. When the weather cooled down, they traveled the world and were regulars in Palm Springs every winter. After Gene passed, Wanda continued to be a gracious host and looked for any opportunity to travel, taking her family on many memorable trips.
Wanda is survived by sons Steve (Karen) Patterson, Jeffrey Patterson, and Todd (Lisa) Patterson, daughter Lisa (Dan) Shonkwiler, grandchildren Scott Patterson, Christy Kanawyer, Jennifer Kramer, Jessica Patterson, Garrett Shonkwiler, Reagan Shonkwiler, and Nate Shonkwiler, and six great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband Gene, parents John and Hazel Bonander, sisters Joyce Ahlstrom and Ramona Bennett, brother Jack Bonander, and infant daughter Patricia.
Services will be held Saturday, April 13 at 1:00 at the Groveland Evangelical Free Church with a dessert reception and fellowship to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Groveland Evangelical Free Church Women’s Ministry, 19172 Ferretti Rd. Groveland, CA, or Friends of Groveland Library, PO Box 43 Groveland, CA 95321.