Patricia Lee Christiansen (Patti and, most affectionally, PatPat to her grandchildren - and everyone else's grandchildren, too) died August 1st, 2024, at age 73, in Tucson, AZ. Patti had lived in Tucson for 51 years, saying that as soon as she arrived, it felt like home. Patti died at home, being cared for by her family from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Patti was raised in rural New Jersey and spent her whole life trying to find peaches as good as the ones she had growing up. She always loved peaches, even though she lost the tip of her left pointer finger in a farming accident.

Social justice was important to her; she often described herself as an old hippie. She took her children to no-nukes rallies and Pro-Choice rallies and was proud to be a feminist.

Patti raised two children in Tucson as a single mother and taught them to love the simple pleasures in life, like the outdoors, art, reading/books, community events, and going to the movies. She enjoyed hiking in the surrounding mountains and found particular joy in picnicking on Mt. Lemmon and hiking in Madera Canyon.

After 10+ years of classes, she finally obtained her undergraduate degree and, at age 44, graduated at the same time as her daughter. After a few years, she decided she wanted to do more in the world and returned to school to complete her Master's Degree in Counseling. For over 20 years, she supported many individuals with their mental health. She loved working as a therapist, even as she was frequently frustrated by the mental health system, insurance companies, and agency policies that prioritize money over mental health.

One of her happiest places was the beach. She took many trips to San Diego with her grandsons and daughter. Later in life, she did more extensive traveling and fulfilled a lifelong dream of living in Belize for a year. She said she had the same experience when she was in Belize as she had in Tucson, it felt like home. Her last beach trip was to Aruba in January, where she had an amazing time.

Being a grandma (PatPat), was truly one of her favorite things. Spending time with them and taking them on adventures as they grew up. She spent a lot of time at Reid Park Zoo, the Sonoran Desert Museum, and on picnics in the mountains. She lived with her daughter's family for 13 years, and being able to see her grandchildren grow up and be a part of their day-to-day life was incredibly special.

She is survived by her daughter, Zoe Lemme (Tony), and her grandchildren, Russell (Jade and great-granddaughter, Isis), Jackson (Alexis), and Nathan. Her dog, Bailey, is part of the Lemme family pack and will be loved and cared for by them.

She was preceded in death by her son, Sean Christiansen, who died by suicide in 2019 after a lifetime of struggling with substance abuse disorder. She would want everyone to know it's okay to get help.

“I'm a believer in the power of knowledge and the ferocity of beauty, so from my point of view, your life is already artful - waiting, just waiting, for you to make it art.” - Toni Morrison

Memorial Keepers (1)

Patricia Lee Christiansen