Patricia LaVerne (Jacobs) Sabin passed away at her home in Adna, Feb. 26, 2020, with family at her side, after a courageous battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. She was born Oct. 16, 1942, in Seattle, Wash., and graduated from Bellevue High School.
At the age of 16, she suffered a near fatal car accident and was in a full body cast when she met her future husband, the late Kenneth C. Sabin. Their older brothers were in a Christian quartet together and Ken came along on a visit as she was recovering. To everyone’s surprise, Ken said to Patricia’s brother, Michael, “I’d like to take your sister out”. They dated and then continued to correspond as Patricia finished high school and Ken joined the United States Navy. After high school, Patricia attended Northwest Christian College in Eugene, Ore., then came home to marry her sailor.
Patricia embraced her husband’s hometown in Lewis County. The couple first bought a house in the valley on Twin Oaks Road, followed by property up on Frogner Hill in Adna where they built a home, logged, gardened, raised animals and brought up their family. She was a pioneer woman for the modern age, at one point raising sheep, shearing them, spinning their wool into yarn and knitting sweaters. Her canned dilly beans and cinnamon applesauce were legendary.
She was well respected in the community through her work as a 4-H leader, clothing and textiles advisor, master food preserver, sewing and knitting instructor and elementary school tutor. She was instrumental in the founding of “Sew-In” at the SW Washington Fair, an active demonstration of sewing in the 4-H building that each year produces many hand-sewn items for local charities. In 2012, she received an award from the Fair Association for her over 45 years of dedicated service.
Her love of people and curiosity about the world led her to host an exchange student from Malaysia, Moi Ling Chung, who remained close to Patricia throughout her life.
A voracious reader, rock collector and bird watcher, she was also active in helping Ken in the woods as they logged and maintained their property, often serving as his choker setter.
Ken, a local banker and pilot, preceded her in death in 2010. Patricia was also especially close to her mother, LaVerne Moch, who preceded her in 2008.
She is survived by her brother, Michael Jacobs and his wife, Jan of Redmond, Ore.; sister, Sharon Alexander of Grayson, Ga.; her five children, Catherine Forte and husband, David of Lakewood, Wash.; Andrea Joondeph and husband Don of Issaquah, Wash.; Karen Alexander and husband, Clark of Adna; Paul Sabin and wife, Michelle of Chehalis; Roxanne Gates of University Place, Wash.; 15 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by Ken’s brothers and their wives, Dennis and Sharon Sabin and David and Sharen Sabin, all of Chehalis; along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Patricia lives on in the hearts
of her beloved circle of family
& friends & the hundreds of
students of all ages whose lives
she touched over the years.
A private family gathering will take place to celebrate the life of Patricia Sabin.
