When Patty signed up for freshman chemistry at the University of Arizona, she expected to spend the semester memorizing the Periodic Table. Instead, she discovered the most important element in the room: Charlie See. The chemistry that began in that classroom has bonded them for more than 60 years and inspired a lifetime of service; the Rotarians we all strive to become.
Born in Rochester, New York, Patty grew up surrounded by apple orchards and a large family. Her father was a civil engineer, and her mother cloned June Cleaver. The values they instilled shaped her approach to family, teaching and service.
When the family, including two brothers, moved to Tucson, another chapter began. It led her to the University of Arizona, where one freshman chemistry set the course of her life.
Patty and Charlie dated throughout college, and on Christmas night—stranded in a sandy riverbed on Reddington Road in a run-down sedan that required a push to start—Charlie proposed. He headed to a nearby ranch house for help to move the car, but returned a few minutes later, handed Patty a Bowie knife, and said, "You'd better keep this. There's an escaped convict in the area." Patty, in a dress and heels, announced she was going with him. Near the ranch house, Charlie whispered, "If there's a dog, the rancher may come out with a gun. If he does, drop to the ground and lie flat." Fortunately, the rancher proved friendlier than Charlie's warning. He pulled them out of the sand, gave the car a push, and sent them on their way. Most women dream of candlelight, violins and a romantic proposal. Patty got an engagement ring, a Bowie knife and the promise of a life that would never be dull.
After graduation and a wedding, Patty and Charlie pointed an aging International Scout toward Alaska with little money, no jobs and plenty of optimism. With courage, youthful confidence and perhaps a touch of insanity, they embraced a life of building a log home, raising three sons, tanning a moose hide and skiing in conditions that occasionally brought frostbite and snow blindness. For Patty, it was the beginning of a lifetime of saying "yes" to every challenge.
Alaska changed their lives. As teachers, Patty and Charlie came face-to-face with children whose lives were far different from the secure, loving childhoods they had known. They saw young people needing guidance, kindness and someone to believe in them. They made it their mission to leave every child—and every life they touched—a little better than they found it.
The family eventually settled on Alaska's beautiful Kenai Peninsula, where Patty and Charlie raised their three sons. Family guided nearly every decision. Camping, fishing, family traditions and annual vacations to Hawaii created treasured memories. Home was wherever the five of them were together.
Charlie ventured into commercial fishing before launching an overnight charter fishing business on the Kenai Peninsula. Patty became the indispensable partner behind the scenes. She tracked down hard-to-find parts, cut bait with a band saw, managed reservations and quietly made it all work.
With their sons grown, the next adventure was a one-year teaching assignment in Turkey. One year became 13, taking Patty and Charlie to Turkey, Japan, and South Korea, where they continued doing what they loved most—teaching children. Visits from their sons and grandchildren added treasured memories.
Teaching overseas deepened Patty's appreciation for other cultures while confirming what Alaska had already taught her: children from different cultures speak different languages, but they all flourish when someone believes in them. It was her guiding light.
Today, Patty and Charlie divide their year between Kenai, Alaska, and SaddleBrooke, Arizona—Alaska for family, lifelong friends and breathtaking scenery; Arizona for its absence of ice and snow and a “family” united in service through SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary.
Patty brings a lifetime of experience and commitment to young people to SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary's work in the Copper Corridor. She helps with the Snack Program at San Manuel Primary School and the Little Free Library while volunteering in classrooms, helping children learn and build confidence. Whether sharing a healthy snack, a trip to the zoo or quiet encouragement, Patty knows small acts of kindness leave the biggest impressions.
Patty insists she's the cautious one in the family, but six decades of adventure suggest otherwise. Whether driving to Alaska, teaching overseas or helping a child discover new possibilities, she has always been willing to take the next step. Looking back, Patty might have realized the Bowie knife wasn't just protection from an escaped convict—it was fair warning about the life she was saying yes to. Fortunately, for countless children, friends and fellow Rotarians, she said yes anyway.
