This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Patricia Weast, 59, born on September 24, 1954 and passed away on March 25, 2014. We will remember her forever.
Patty is survived by her loving and devoted partner of 40 years, John Marshall, her brother and sister-in-law Mike and Michelle Weast, and Mike’s daughter Lisa and her two children. Her parents, Douglas and Clareen Weast, preceded her in death.
Memories, Thoughts and Conversations
Culver City, California was Patty’s hometown. She attended El Rincon Elementary, Culver Junior and Senior High Schools. For a year she went to West Los Angeles Junior College but transferred to Pasadena City College and graduated with a degree in Art. She loved growing up in Culver City. In those days, it still had a small town feel. You knew your neighbors and went to school with from kindergarten to high school graduation. Patty loved her home on Flaxton Ave and never failed to drive by it long after her family moved from Culver City. The last time I saw Patty we took a stroll around the old neighborhood and marveled at how it was the saw and how it was different.
Patty had lifelong passion for art and was an artist herself. She loved to paint, but she could always turn a yard sale find into a treasure. Her family and friends were the recipients of some of her work. I recall spending lazy summer afternoons listening to music (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, the Flying Burrito Brothers etc.) in her bedroom while she painted. I still have three painting she made in high school. One was of Jesus Christ, the other was John Mayall and the last was a scene from Middle Earth. Those subjects could not be more disparate but that was Patty, a woman of countless interests. I have Middle Earth in my office as I write this. Patty painted throughout her life. There were periods when her paint brushes got a little dusty but she always returned to them.
We enjoyed the work of street artists on Ocean Front Walk in Venice and made the occasional pilgrimage to the Los Angeles County Art Museum. The Natural History Museum was a favorite, too. And the art galleries in Westwood and Hollywood were frequent haunts.
When Patty and John lived in La Canada she painted full sized scenes from the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover on the front of her house. What fun they were. Patty and John have since moved and the paintings are no longer. I wish they were.
Patty appreciated nature’s art, too. I remember walking to school together while she admired the care and beauty people brought to their gardens. She enjoyed spring and the promise it brought of a beautiful summer. There was always a cutting or two taking root in her kitchen window sill. And always she shared cuttings with others. That is the way of all gardeners. Patty’s garden exploded with color. She had a hugh bougainvillea, over two stories high! She created a private little nook at her front door with her glorious potted plants, old white rattan chairs with comfortable cushions and little treasures in every niche. If I were lost and never had been to Patty’s home before, I could have found it because it was so enticing. She had who own charming style and it was clever, warm and inviting.
In high school, Patty became a vegetarian. She never discussed it and I never thought to ask her why. In fact, I used to tease her about it. Finally, about 30 years ago, I saw the light. If you love animals, you don’t eat them. Patty was my inspiration.
Knowing Patty made my high school years a lot more fun, adventurous, and expansive. In retrospect, I realize that Patty taught me a lot about life. She has an appreciation of the small, simple things like quiet conversation or the beauty of a full moon or happiness in feed your friends. I remember watching Rocky and Bullwinkle on TV, drinking tea and eating cookies. Patty made a comment about what fun we were having. I remember thinking, this is fun? Really? And I thought about it. Yes, it was. My definitions expanded on that day as well as others. She had the gift of enjoying the here and now. Patty directly changed my definition of what is fun but more importantly, she changed my definition of what was important and meaningful. Her appreciation of the small things never failed to impress me. Too many of us look so high and far that we forget to notice what is at our feet. Thank you, Patty!
Lately, we would often wax poetic about Culver City. It was a good place to live’ Maybe it still is. There were lots of great things about Culver City back in the day. Who can forget the Helms Bakery, the Culver Hotel, the Meralta and Culver Theaters, Culver Center, Jacks Ranch Market, the Rollerdrome, the Studio Drive In, the new Library (and now, not so new), the movie studios and their various incarnations, Foster Freeze, the Big Donut, Johnny’s Pastrami and warmest in our hearts, Tito’s Tacos. Patty appreciated the stability of her home, her kind and loving family and the goodness of her friends. At a young age she had a mature perspective.
The other cool places we loved were the Renaissance Faire (we made our own dresses!), the Aardvark in Venice , 2nd hand stores, Venice Beach, any beach, all beaches, Topanga Canyon, any canyon, the Martinek Manor, the Troubadour, the first Getty Museum, Pacific Cost Hwy, Brentwood, Fox Venice Theater, the MGM auction, and what have I forgotten?
Patty and I had fun cruising in my white, paneled 1967 Buick special station wagon and listening to 8 track tapes. About 1973 or so we decided to take a road trip to Canada. Vancouver was out goal. Sometimes we slept in the wagon or sometimes in a tent. Included were campfires, the California coast, roads less travelled, hitch hikers and no time schedules. Our down fall was San Francisco and a hundred ways to spend our money. We saw the play, Godspell and checked out the beaches and walked all over town. It was on Market or Geary Street, I believe, we found a three story fabric store named Britex. We both designed and sewed our own clothes so we knew we had discovered paradise. It was heaven on earth and a serious drain on our already thin wallets. But we loved the redwoods, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Vancouver was a beautiful city. Travels with Charlie accompanied us. It was a great trip but much too short.
In high school Patty was never interested in sports, not a joiner of clubs and not much interested in spending time on campus other than what was required. For her the doors to learning and experience were always open. She was lifelong reader. She introduced me to C S Lewis, JRR Tolkien, e e cummings, Frank Herbert, J D Salinger, Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan to name a few. We shared Carlos Castaneda, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clark, and George Orwell.
About 2 years ago I moved back to Southern California after living in Sonoma County for many years. Patty and I decided to rediscover Los Angeles. One sojourn included Titos Tacos, a cruise thru Culver City and a walk down Venice beach. We talked about Pacific Ocean Park and Black Oak Arkansas who performed on the beach back when. And art and food and life and a hundred other things. On another trip we went to the Norton Simon Museum and hit a couple of 2nd hand stores nearby. We planned to tour Pasadena and see the Greene and Greene homes. In fact, we had a list of places we wanted to visit. Our next excursion would have been to China Town. But we never made it.
I invite everyone with a memory, story or thought about Patty to add to this memorial. In the not too distant future, I will upgrade this memorial and can add more photos which I invite you to do, also.
Linda Cirk
September 23, 2014. Tomorrow would have been Patty’s 60th birthday.
Patty Cakes, I cannot believe you are gone. But you will be forever in my heart.
Tributes
Leave a tributeHow long has it been? I sure do miss you. You were my best friend. You are with the angels, of that I am am sure. I am a Baptist now. You would be happy about that. We would be going to Titos tacos today and on to Venice Beach. What a perfect day it would be .
It's Christmas Eve. And I miss you. I got a text from Mary Pat and she sent a text/photo and she said that you would like it. It was about December 21. 2020. And it was a beautuful photo of junction of Saturn and Saturn and Winter Solstice. But the most important was the Christmas Star. The Christmas Star was 3 Three Magi Kings who brought gifts to baby Jesus.
Merry Christmas.
It's been 6 years since you passed. I miss you and all the years of friend ship that we had. The world is crazy right now but in better times we would go to Venice beach today. It's springtime and that means we would be out and about.
I can't believe that you would have been 65! I bet you would have been surprised, too. In high school that seemed so far off. And here it is.
You would have been 61 years old today. I sure do miss you. I just spoke to John and he misses you more than I can say. He is heart broken. We should be going to Tito's today. But I know you are with the angels so that give me solace. I love you.
I miss you.
I wish you were here to celebrate with me. We both agreed that we had a lot to be thankful for- our families, friends mostly. And a lot of other things we loved-animals, art, music, gardens to name a few. It's just not the same without you.
In particular, I recall many hours spent in your room on Flaxton listening to rock and folk music. We had significant crushes on a folk duo called Chad and Jeremy and probably drove your parents nuts playing their records over and over again. Your parents, whom I called Mr. and Mrs. Weast (as was the custom of that time), were always gracious yet firm. I know that their guidance kept you close to your Christian roots and helped to shape your spirituality. I have shady recollections of your brother Mike, and imagine that's because like all big brothers, he wanted little to do with his silly little sister and her even sillier friends.
I recall that your friends, myself included, would spend hours in your room or at your bedroom window. It really was a center of social happenings in our circle of friends in Culver City.
I have fond memories of Culver City, but many of the places we used to visit are long gone in favor of gentrification and stratospheric real estate prices. Sad to say, not many of us could afford to live there now even if we wanted to. But yes, When I do return there I always visit Venice Beach and Tito's. Next time I'm in town, I'll have a taco for you and buy a book of poetry at the Small World Bookstore on the Venice Boardwalk.
I'm sorry I never had the pleasure of meeting your beloved John, but I will pray for him as he cares for your beloved cats and finds his way in the aftermath of your ascension to God's House. Rest easy, Patty. You won't be forgotten, and your memory will always be cherished.
Leave a Tribute
How long has it been? I sure do miss you. You were my best friend. You are with the angels, of that I am am sure. I am a Baptist now. You would be happy about that. We would be going to Titos tacos today and on to Venice Beach. What a perfect day it would be .
You were with us
this past weekend when some of our closest friends got together for a reunion. You were on our minds as we laughed and drank wine and toasted to you. Happy Birthday, Patty! We will never forget you.