Dance before the music is over, live before your life is over. Patti J. (Curtis) Walters passed away Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at Gritman Medical Center in Moscow.
All who knew Patti knew she loved to dance. If she could not dance, she loved listening to music and watching people dance.
Patti was born in Eau Claire, Wis., on May 19, 1939, to Dean Joseph Curtis and Muriel Genevieve Carlson Curtis. With her parents, older sister Deanna (Nagle) and younger sisters Cheryl (Burgess) and Vicki (Rumfelt), the family moved to Potlatch in 1947. Patti’s parents operated the Potlatch Hotel and Café from 1947-62 and later operated Dean’s Lounge (formerly the Silver Saddle). The whole family loved playing cards and if there was a flat surface anywhere, the girls and Muriel played cards.
Patti married Gene (Campbell) Walters on Nov. 1, 1958. Patti enjoyed working with Gene’s aunt, Helen Varcoe, at the Pullman Hotel Café, Potlatch Department Store, University of Idaho Dining Services and Washington State University Registrar’s Office. Gene and Patti started their own business, White Pine Contractors, of which they operated for nearly 30 years. Married for more than 57 years, Gene passed away in February 2015, six days after Patti’s mom, Muriel.
Proud of the community they lived in, Gene and Patti envisioned a grand flag to greet residents and visitors to the town they loved so much at the Scenic 6 Park. Named the Betsy Ross of Potlatch, Patti repaired the flags, gathering other volunteers to help when needed. The city of Potlatch has been instrumental in helping to keep the flag waving.
Gene and Patti spent many years at their lake home on Lake Coeur d’Alene and Patti learned to drive the boat so she could pull the kids waterskiing. Gene and Patti spent 30-plus years wintering in Yuma, Ariz. Patti continued to travel south every winter and enjoyed dancing and listening to music. Having never met a stranger, Patti’s friend base grew immensely. Her passion of music led her to finding a good friend, Hugh Parker.
Friends were a huge part of Patti’s life and she often said that she could have never lived her life without them. The original “Dozen” traveled, laughed, ate, bowled, ate and enjoyed their time together as forever friends. Donna T., Janet, Donna H., Lynette, Sue, Karen and the babies to the group, Beverly and Joyce, and newcomer, Doris, along with friends Carol, Velda and Ginger having passed.
Surviving Patti are her son, Craig Walters, and daughters Terri (Ed) Katus and Kathi Jo (Dean) Nygaard, or as Patti always said, “I have two kids and Kathi.” Grandchildren Nicole (Jeff) Drumm and great-granddaughters Brianna and Aubree; Robbi (Dallas) Hash and great-grandsons Jaxon and Jase; Randi (Austin) Walkins and great-grandson Noah (and one on the way); Jarod (Lindsey) Katus and great-grandsons Greyson and twins Liam and Easton; Karl Nygaard and Chelsi Nygaard. Also surviving is sister Vicki Rumfelt; brothers-in-law Jerry Nagle and Terry Burgess; stepbrother and wife Jerry and Donna Thompson; stepsister and husband Janet and Butch Brantner; and bonus children Paula (Lonnie) Nicholson and Tim (Tia and Tayva) McKinney.
Always planning her own birthday party, a celebration of life will take place on what would have been Patti’s 82nd birthday, Wednesday, May 19, at 1 p.m. at Freeze Cemetery north of Potlatch.
Memorial suggestions are: Potlatch Flag Fund, P.O. Box 624, Potlatch, ID 83855; Potlatch Fire and Ambulance, P.O. Box 63, Potlatch, ID 83855; or NW Cancer Foundation of Hope, P.O. Box 65, Viola, ID 83872.
Kramer Funeral Home of Palouse is caring for the family. Online condolences may be left at kramercares.com.
