PATRICIA DIANE TANNER January 24, 1932 — June 20, 2018 Resident of Clayton, California Patricia Diane Tanner passed away peacefully in Walnut Creek, California in the early morning of Tuesday June 20, 2018. She was 86 years old and a resident of Clayton, California. She was born on January 24, 1932 in Alhambra, California to Blair and Madge Thomas.
She had two siblings; Jon Thomas who currently resides with his wife Mary Linda in Orem, Utah, and William Sherwood Thomas who died at birth. Patricia Tanner grew up mostly in Southern California, and attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where she met her husband John William Andreas Tanner. They were married in the Mesa Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) on June 13, 1952 and had five children: Nicholas, Lisa, Jennifer, Eric, and Christine.
Patricia graduated from Brigham Young University in 1953 with a bachelor’s degree in English. She taught elementary education for a couple of years while her husband John served in the armed forces stationed in Japan. When John returned from his military duty, their first son Nicholas was 18 months old.
Their family then grew and moved throughout California due to John’s work as a banker with United California Bank, First Interstate Bank, and Wells Fargo Bank. Their first home was in Alhambra, California where they lived for 6 years. They next moved to Eureka, California [4 years], then Klamath Falls, Oregon [4 years], then to Visalia [5 years], and then to Fresno [40+ years] of which the final 10 years were without her beloved spouse.
In 2014, she moved to Clayton, California in the San Francisco Bay Area where she lived the remaining years of her life near her daughter Lisa and her family. Patricia chose to stay at home with her family to raise their children. In the early years of their marriage, she substituted as an elementary education teacher.
When Patricia was not taking care of her family, her life was about serving her community and her faith. She was not a casual volunteer. She served in various ecclesiastical positions including president of several women’s organizations, organist, youth seminary teacher, pianist and choir director to name a few.
She served as an ordinance worker in both the Oakland and Fresno, California LDS temples. She and John also served an LDS mission for two years in East Lansing, Michigan from 1988 to 1990. She enjoyed volunteering her time serving her community for many years at a local hospital, as an ombudsman, at various libraries, and the PTA.
For many years she hosted the local precinct voting booth station at their home in Fresno. Patricia loved to spend time with her family. Many hours were spent camping, golfing, water skiing, supporting her children in multiple sporting events, entertaining friends, attending the Symphony, acting in plays, etc.
She and John travelled to such places as Spain, Portugal, Italy, Israel, Jerusalem, Egypt, Mexico and a solo trip by herself to England and Wales to visit the home of her ancestors. In her personal time, she loved to study the gospel, read, play the piano and organ, exercise, paint, write poetry, cook, tend her roses, sew, knit, and beautify her home. In her later years, she became an avid fan of the Golden State Warriors.
Her devotion, dedication and tireless efforts will be missed by all who knew her. Patricia and John had a long and happy married life for 52 years before the passing of her beloved husband in 2004. She is survived by her brother Jon Thomas (Mary Linda) and her four children; Nicholas John Tanner (Karlene), Lisa Diane Hansen (Stanford), Eric William Tanner (Jaime), and Christine Alleen Tanner.
Also her 10 Grandchildren: Natasha Tanner, Nicholas Tanner, Rachel Anderson (Nathan), Dayne Tanner (Britnee), Melissa Sooter (Sean), Cyndil Tanner, Lindsey Hansen, Andreas Tanner (Erin), Allyson Hansen, Sammie Tanner; and her 10 Great Grandchildren: Julia, Nicole, Derek, Canon and Liberty Tanner; Beck Tanner; Gage and Colton Sooter; and Leila and Rowan Anderson. Her family and friends were blessed by the strength of her testimony of Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ. While sad to see her leave this mortal life, they are so very happy that she has been reunited with the love of her life John, daughter Jennifer, her brother William, and others she has lost over the years.
A memorial service in celebration of her wonderful life will be held in her honor at Oak Park Hills Chapel (3111 North Main Street, Walnut Creek, California, 94597) on Thursday, June 28, 2018, at 3:30pm. There will also be a graveside dedication at the Clovis Cemetery District on the corner of Herndon and Villa (305 North Villa Avenue, Clovis, California, 93612) on Friday, June 29, 2018, at 10:00am. Family and friends are welcome to attend either service.
In lieu of flowers, Patricia would love to have donations made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Humanitarian Fund: www. ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services Donations may be made to: LDS Philanthropies 1450 N. University Ave. , PROVO UT 84604 Tel: 1-801-356-5300 Email: ldsphilanthropies@ldschurch.org Web: www.
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