Patricia 'Pat' Anne (Reilly) Connell, 91

An older Irish lass has passed: Patricia Anne "Pat" Connell, 91, transitioned peacefully into the presence of the Lord on June 29, 2026. Born on May 22, 1935, in Spokane, Wash., she was the eldest child and only daughter of Edward and Clarissa Reilly.

Pat lived by three simple priorities: family, faith and fun. She believed every person deserved the gift of a smile and dedicated her life to serving others. A gifted musician, she played piano, organ and violin, and sang in churches and choirs throughout the United States and England. She also taught dance and would often pull her children in to dance with her in the kitchen to brighten everyone’s day.

In 1956, Pat married James L. Connell, and together they raised six children in a lively, loving Irish Catholic home. As the wife of a military officer, Pat often managed the challenges of frequent moves and solo parenting while Jim served protecting liberty. In 1968, the family returned to the Spokane area, where they continued building a close-knit family rooted in faith and service.

Pat often said, "Volunteering is engraved on my forehead and in my heart." Inspired by her parents' expectation that every day include helping someone else, she began volunteering as a teenager at Sacred Heart Hospital. That passion grew into a lifetime of service through the American Red Cross, Catholic organizations, hospitals, hospice programs and community ministries. She served as Northwest Regional Director for the American Red Cross, Director of Volunteers at Sacred Heart Medical Center and later built a successful career as a Mary Kay Cosmetics director after moving to Santa Rosa, Calif., in 1981. 

Her Catholic faith guided every chapter of her life. Pat became a credentialed chaplain, ministering to hospice patients, prison inmates and families facing the end of life. She also helped establish Hospice of Maranatha in Spokane, one of the nation's earliest hospice programs. She held numerous leadership roles with the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, including Washington State Regent and helped establish new chapters throughout the Northwest. For more than 25 years, she served at St. Pius Catholic Church in various capacities: organist, committee member and Eucharistic minister. She also chaired the board of Gonzaga University's Ministry Institute.

Pat received many honors recognizing her lifelong commitment to service, including awards from the American Red Cross, Catholic organizations, Queen Elizabeth II for fostering Anglo-American relations, the 2011 Ms. Idaho Senior America title and the Idaho Governor's Brightest Star Award for Exemplary Volunteer Service.

Pat asked that these words be included in her obituary: "I have been blessed by a wonderful husband, loving children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, two brothers, many dear friends, and a loving God, who has finally taken me home to be with Him and my family in heaven. I have loved being a wife, mother, grandmother, and friend."

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Jim; her son, Paul; her brothers, Ed and Robert; and her daughter-in-law, Charelle Young. She is survived by her children: Ann (Ed) Lipkin, Steve (Carrie Town) Connell, Jeanne (Michael) Birch, Mike (Colleen Welter) Connell, and Tim Connell; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and many beloved nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and friends. 

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Thursday, July 16, at 11 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Coeur d'Alene, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice of North Idaho (www.hospiceofnorthidaho.org). Yates Funeral Home is entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Pat’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.