Patricia Hurt, 80

Patricia Ann “Pat” (Anderson) Hurt died March 3, 2023, in the company of family and friends at her home in St. Ignatius. She passed away at 80 years old from complications of metastatic lung cancer.

Pat was born to Melvin B. and Angeline C. (Petron) Anderson on Feb. 6, 1943, in Minot, N.D.. She grew up in Spokane, Wash., and attended St. Francis of Assisi Elementary and Holy Names Academy, graduating from high school in 1961. She attended college at Gonzaga University completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology after her internship in Seattle.

Pat met the love of her life, Kenneth W. Hurt, when they played together in the Gonzaga orchestra. Pat was a violinist but also an outstanding pianist and accompanist for the choir and for Ken’s clarinet recitals.

They married on Feb. 5, 1966, in Spokane and then moved to St. Ignatius where they raised two children, Kenneth Joseph and Jennifer Ann. Pat and Ken were married for 42 wonderful years in the St. Ignatius community, participating in all the town events and activities.

Pat was always busy with projects at home, chaperoned school and band trips for her kids and their classmates, organized some of the first St. Ignatius Good Ol’ Days 5K Buffalo Runs and Fastest-Dog-in-Mission races, and got the annual Mission Drug float ready for the big parade. She was part of the St. Ignatius Jayceens and worked with the kids in the 4-H Club.

Pat participated in equestrian sports and horse jumping and showed champion golden retrievers around the country (Cedarwood Acres Kennel). Together, Pat and Ken were a great team and strong supporters of the school, town, and church in St. Ignatius.

While doing all these community activities, Pat maintained her career as a meticulous, reliable, and kind medical technologist at the St. Ignatius Mission Valley Hospital, and filled in at the Plains Clark Fork Valley Hospital. When the Mission Hospital closed, she worked at the University of Montana Curry Student Health Center in Missoula until she retired in 2005.

She filled her daily commutes to Missoula with books and courses on tape and took a wide range of evening adult education courses at the U of M even after she retired. She was an enthusiastic lifelong learner.

Pat never stood still – she and Ken loved to travel, taking extended RV trips throughout the states and abroad (southwest USA, Alaska and Mexico) and enjoying cruises and adventures with friends. Pat grieved deeply when Ken passed away suddenly in 2008, but she continued her passion for travel, making trips with travel mates from across the country and the world.

She loved learning about different cultures, foods, and people, and wanted to experience it all first-hand. She was adventurous, curious, and always eager to meet and talk with others. She loved the outdoors – walking, hiking, biking, or running in beautiful Montana or faraway places. She had an extensive network of friends with whom she loved to explore, whether in her book club or on the road.

Pat was an active member and supporter of the St. Ignatius Catholic Church and liked to attend religious lectures, conferences and Journeys. She was an organist for church music services in her younger life and more recently was part of the Journey team, prayer/bible study groups, and the Mission Museum volunteer group.

She was proud to work at the Mission Valley Food Pantry and always looked for ways to help others. She believed strongly in supporting and developing the Mission Valley and always contributed to making St. Ignatius a wonderful place to call home.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, Mel and Angie Anderson, and by her husband, Ken. Immediate family survivors include her children, Dr. K. Joseph Hurt of Denver, Colo., and Jennifer A. (Kory) Kennaugh of Helena; her sister, Kathryn M. Cavender; nephews Christopher W. Cavender and Eugene R. Cavender of Spokane, Wash.; sister-in-law Sharon F. (James A.) Gies of Spokane; nephew James M. (Marcy) Gies of Spokane; Wendy K. Gottesman of Mercer Island, WA; and Shaunda M. Paske of Spokane, WA.

Please consider a memorial donation in lieu of flowers:

• St. Ignatius Catholic Mission Restoration, P.O. Box 667, St. Ignatius, MT 59865 (www.stignatiusmission.org)

• Mission Valley Food Pantry, 203 Blaine Street, St. Ignatius, MT 59865

• Lung Cancer Research (www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org)

• Heifer International (www.heifer.org/give/donate-monthly.html)