Sister Patricia Chafin - Deaconess, Nurse, Occupational Therapist Patricia Rae Chafin, 88, of Brush, Colorado passed away quietly on November 10, 2015 while under the care of Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center in Brush. Sister Patricia was born January 7, 1927 in Williamson, W. Virginia to Leonard and Dorothea P. Chafin. She was baptized July 1934 at Pikeville, KY Methodist Church. Her father, finding work as a carpenter and salesman, moved the family every few years. After settling in California, Patricia graduated Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles in 1945. She learned about the ministry of deaconesses from her pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Culver City, CA. Following two years of study at Midland College Patricia entered the Philadelphia Motherhouse and Deaconess School in 1948. While continuing her studies she was invested in 1950, taking another step toward becoming a deaconess. She graduated from Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing as a R.N. in 1953 and served there as Assistant Nursing Arts Instructor until 1957. Completing her training as a deaconess Patricia was consecrated as a Lutheran Deaconess of the Gladwyn, PA Motherhouse on September 26, 1954 and received the Deaconess Cross and title of Sister. Taking classes at St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia she finished a Bachelor of Science degree from Midland College and graduated in 1957. With an awareness that patients could do more than just lay in bed Sister Patricia entered the University of Pennsylvania school of Occupational Therapy, graduating in 1959. In the ensuing years, Sister Patricia fulfilled her duties and responsibilities in nursing and occupational therapy as Director of Nurses and Occupational Therapist at Lutheran Home at Jersey City, Director of Occupational Therapy at the Eger Nursing Home (Statin Island, NY), Staff Nurse at Bayonne Hospital (Bayonne, NJ). In 1972, Patricia entered New York University graduating in 1975 with a B.S. in Education, Health, Nursing Arts. Her ministry in nursing continued at the Mary J. Drexel Home as Assistant Director of Nursing. In 1983 she moved to California to care for her mother. While living there she worked at Walnut Manor (Anahaim, CA) as a Resident Health Director. In 1986 Sister Patricia accepted a call to Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center where she worked as Assistant Director of Nursing, Director of Hansen Apartments, Occupational Therapist and MDS Coordinator and served as their softball coach. After her retirement from Eben Ezer in 1998 Sister Patricia used her heart for ministry to serve in a variety of ways. Actively involved at Bethlehem Lutheran Church she served on the council and altar guild, led Bible study and Sunday School, sang in the choir and played hand bells. In the local community she volunteered at Tompson Elementary School, served as president of the Senior Citizen's Council of Brush, was a member of the Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center Auxiliary and local Thrivent Chapter Board. Additionally, she worked with Habitat for Humanity, delivered meals and transported oncology patients to the Greeley clinic. With an awareness of the needs of people outside of Brush she made lap robes for veterans, quilts for Lutheran World Relief and donated over five gallons of blood. Sister Patricia remained active in the life of the Deaconess Community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church USA and Canada as she regularly attended ELCA Deaconess Annual Assemblies and meetings of World Diakonia. In addition to volunteering, Patricia enjoyed gardening, baking and using her excellent seamstress skills to make many of her own clothes and several quilts. Beginning with her first European trip in 1969 she traveled through her retirement to interesting places across Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil. Sister Patricia enjoyed hosting Sisters in her home. She traveled across the United States in her Winnebago with her sister Viola, local friends and Sisters to visit cousins and Sisters of her community. Sister Patricia is preceded in death by her parents Leonard and Dorothea Chafin, twin brothers Earl and Carl Chafin and many deaconess sisters. She is survived by her older sister, Viola Diana Chafin of Reseda, CA, nephews Donald and David Tucker in CA, a niece Cathy in Maine, a nephew Clifford Chafin and wife Jill of Carrboro, North Carolina. A memorial service will be Tuesday, November 17 at 10:30 a.m. at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Brush with Reverend Raymond Larson officiating. Inurnment will follow in the Eben Ezer Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center or Hospice of Northern Colorado and sent to Heer Mortuary, 222 Cameron St. Brush, CO 80723.