Patricia Ann Damman's Obituary
Patricia Ann Damman (84) of St. Clair, Michigan, passed away comfortably and quietly on December 28, 2021 surrounded by family.
Patricia was born on November 1, 1937 in Little Falls, Minnesota. She moved to the Detroit area as a young girl with her mother, Helen Johnson, brother, Duane Johnson, and sister, Carol Johnson (Garcia), when her mother took a job with Chrysler. Growing up on the Detroit’s east side, Patricia graduated from St. Bernard’s High School and soon thereafter met Bernard (Bud) A. Damman. After six months of dating and a six-month engagement the couple was married on May 30, 1960. They began their life together in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. After the births of their first two children, Lisa and Ronald, the family moved to St. Clair, Michigan. When reflecting on her experience of moving out of “the city” to rural St. Clair, Patricia often referred to it as living the popular television program, Green Acres. Lori was born after the move to St. Clair and Daniel was born nearly nine (9) years after Lori. It would be fair to say that Patricia both loved and loathed the country life, never caring for the mud of country roads or lack of city water and sewer, but loving the view of “the farm” from the house. She cherished the serenity and the wildlife, like visits from her friend “the fox”, deer strolling through the backyard, Stanley the duck coming up to the house to eat the dogs’ food, and meeting and adopting Ralph the cat, just to name a few.
Patricia was a devout Catholic the whole of her life. All of her children attended St. Mary’s School in St. Clair, Michigan. She and Bud were members of the St. Mary’s Parish where her children are void of doubt that she spent many hours praying for them and their father. Patricia loved art and her chosen medium was oil painting. She painted beautiful pictures on canvasses that now hang in the homes of her children and grandchildren. She had an eye for decorating and home interior design. She also had an eye for clothing. Patricia never left the house looking anything short of beautiful. Her hair always done, makeup always perfect, and in clothing that would make Jackie O look twice, Patricia was the epitome of class. Nevertheless, it was neither art, nor clothing, nor any material thing that drove her; it was her family.
Patricia doted on all of her children. When pressed by each of them in secret as to who was her favorite, we all received the same response “you are all my favorite”…and she meant it. As a mother, Patricia had no equal. She taught us to be respectful of others, as well as to have respect for one’s self; She introduced us to God and faith, and how to make God central in our lives; She instilled the importance of trying our best and never giving up; She taught us to be thankful for what we have and how to give to others; We always went to bed in clean pajamas, with clean ears and teeth. She read us books to help us fall asleep until we woke to “the most important meal of the day”. We always had a vegetable and starch for dinner, and if we put it on our plate, we had to finish it as there were children out there with no food. When we did take more than we could eat, it was because “our eyes were bigger than our stomachs”. She made our house a home, a place where we were safe, comfortable, and where we always knew we were loved more than life itself.
Patricia is survived daughter Lisa (Jeff) Sharrow, son Ronald (Amy) Damman, daughter Lori Damman, and son Daniel (Therese) Damman. Patricia is also survived by her ten (10) grandchildren Ann Marie, Anthony, Alicia, Tyler, Daniel, Adam, Camille, Carmen, Emily and Mason, and her seven (7) great-grandchildren Joey, Brody, Brooklynn, Riely, Easton, Ellie, and Marlow. She is also survived by her sisters Carol Garcia and Sandra Bockenstette.
Patricia was preceded in death by her mother Helen Johnson, brother Duane Johnson and Bernard Damman.
Funeral services are arranged by Young Funeral Home with a full funeral mass on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Christopher’s Catholic Church in Marysville, Michigan. Showing will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the church. A private burial will be held immediately thereafter for family.
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