Patricia Noble Whitely died peacefully on Dec. 12, 2011, at the age of 85.

She was born in Oakland on Aug. 15, 1926, to Lois and Kendall Noble. She attended San Francisco State University during World War II and completed her education at Lake Tahoe Community College.

In 1953, Pat married a medical student, Jim Whitely. They moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1956, where he would become the areas first year-round physician.

Pat had a deep commitment to the community, serving in many roles. She was a charter member of the Barton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, was a charter member and co-founder of the Tahoe Parents Nursery School, performed with The Lake Tahoe Children’s Theater and the Lake Tahoe Theater Company, was a member of Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe which presented her its Woman of Distinction award for her work with equal opportunity employment issues, was elected to two terms on the Lake Tahoe Unified School District board serving as president twice, was a charter member of the Lake Tahoe Historical Society, served as an elder of the Lake Tahoe Presbyterian Church and was a scholarship supporter through the Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation.

Pat was a wonderfully bright, witty and charming woman who loved and was devoted to her family, her friends and her community.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Whitely, and her brother, William Noble. She is survived by her daughters, Diane Stepnitz (Stan), Linda Litton (Gary), Karen Pavlakis (Mike) and Jane Griffin-Callahan (Tom) and her grandchildren, Abby Stepnitz, Eli Alston-Stepnitz (Kimberly), Rachel Litton-Mueller (Fabian), Allison and Hannah Litton, Jack Maloney and Colin, Jake and Hunter Griffin.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Memorial donations in Pat’s memory may be made to the Patricia Whitely Scholarship Fund, c/o Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 14387, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96151.