Patricia Ann Scotson

After a short illness that left her with multiple organ failure, Pat left us on May 24, 2018, surrounded by those who loved her. Visitation will be Friday, June 1, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Schnider Funeral Home. The funeral liturgy will be Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Patricia Messman Scotson was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on February 11, 1941 to her parents, Donald and Grace (Reeves) Messman. At the age of three, her family moved to Great Falls where she grew up. She attended several of the Great Falls Public Schools, graduating from Great Falls High School in 1959, staying an additional year as a main office secretary. After that, she attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN. Halfway through her first year of college, she met the love of her life, Dave Scotson. For the rest of that year, they wrote letters to each other daily, until Scottie convinced Patty to come home and be his wife. Dave and Pat were married on April 18, 1963, and made their home in Great Falls. They started their family in 1965 when Katie was born, and added to it in 1967 with Susan, and again in 1970 with Jennifer. An ideal home was made even better with cousins and friends always around, and enriched by many foster children. Dave and Pat always had the belief that there was no sense having empty beds, and opened their doors to anyone in need including Amos (Robert Burke), Anh (Lisa Do) & Nga (Renee Du), Terri J. (Neuwerth), and Ray (Keller). Later on, son Rob came into the family, and was officially adopted on August 3, 1994. After raising young children as a stay at home mom, Pat worked as a secretary at Lowell School while being encouraged by her principal at the time, Ed Plass to follow her dreams to become a teacher! He allowed her the flexibility to attend classes to make that happen. Pat went back to school to finish what she had started. Soon after graduation from the College of Great Falls in 1979, she started teaching at St. Gerard’s Catholic School. Once St. Gerard’s, Holy Family, and Sts. Peter and Paul merged to form Blessed Trinity, she taught there while getting her Master’s degree from Eastern Montana College. In 1989, Pat became the principal of Blessed Trinity where she served for the last ten years of her career. Pat loved figuring things out. She had an insatiable curiosity about everything. She was a reader, a learner, and a teacher above all else. She loved being a mom, but adored being a grandma even more. She nurtured the creativity and intellect of everyone in her path, and was always the reassuring figure who listened carefully, helped hatch a plan, and then guided it through to fruition, cheering all the way. She was a catalyst for getting things done, and done right. Pat’s patient guidance and relentless encouragement moved mountains for so many. Pat profoundly enriched the lives of everyone she encountered. Pat is survived by her husband, Dave; children Rob (Susan) Scotson, Kate (Rob) McCarthy, Susan Quinn, and Jennifer (Shawn) Hazelton; her beloved, former son-in-law, John Quinn; former daughter-in-law, Amy Scotson; grandchildren Savanna and Parker Scotson, Michael, Gillespie, and Grace McCarthy, McKenna and Josey Quinn, and Kiran Hazelton; sister Vicki (Russ) Corn; brother Roger (Candy) Messman; nieces and nephews, Melané Guidotti (Jake and Ali) and Tony (LeeAnn) Guidotti (Carson and Willa), and Christie (Ken) Huff (Brenna). Pat is preceded in death by her parents, Donald and Grace Messman. She was quite a list maker and advice-giver, and we think she would have left the following thoughts for all of us: Eat ice cream first. You’re only allowed to play with the couch cushions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Don’t jump from the top step. Popcorn and apple slices make a perfectly good dinner just as a gigantic cinnamon roll makes a perfectly acceptable breakfast. Nothing is truly cleaned up until it’s inspected with “picky grandma eyes. Reading makes life easier. Never go anywhere without chapstick. Butter makes everything better. In lieu of flowers, we think Pat would appreciate donations in her name to Holy Spirit Catholic School, a community that meant the world to her.