Patricia Lee Giarrusso

Patricia Lee Giarrusso of Auburn, California, age 71, passed peacefully in her home and surrounded by family, on Easter Sunday, March 31st 2024. Pat was born in Topeka, Kansas to mother Mary Kathleen, father Clyde, and older sister Pamela Ann McCulley. She earned a bachelors of science degree in nursing from Pittsburg State University, KS, and began her nursing career serving inpatient psychiatric patients at Kansas University Medical Center. Pat’s passion for serving psychiatric patients took her to New Orleans, Louisiana, and then San Diego, California, where a male nurse “caught my eye,” and whom she would marry June of 1982. Pat and her husband Greg settled in beautiful Encinitas, CA, and Pat gave birth to their daughter Gina in March of 1985. Pat loved being a mother and often commented that “no one told me how FUN it would be!” 

Pat’s kindness, non-judgmental nature, and incredible sense of humor were acknowledged among the outpouring from Pat’s community of family and long-time friends at the end of her life. Pat was known to “march to the beat of her own drum,” which led to her love of music, travel, and investigating true crime cases. Pat loved to have fun and often reflected that dancing to Motown, traveling cross-country, and spending nearly 1-month in Italy were some of the most memorable experiences of her life. One of Pat’s greatest talents was making people from all walks of life feel comfortable, special, and appreciated for who they are. She is survived by her spouse Greg Giarrusso of Auburn, CA, her “little Gina girl” Giarrusso, son-in-law Christopher Gomez, and granddaughter Vivienne Gomez of Alameda, CA, and her adorable little dog Sammie Jo. To know Pat was to love her, and she will live on through the many lives she touched.