San Anselmo

With great love and gratitude for an incredible life, we announce the passing of Patricia Ellen (Winden) Daly, who peacefully passed away in her home surrounded by her loving family on December 28, 2024 at the age of 98.

Born on October 5, 1926, in Los Angeles, she lived a life filled with love, wisdom, resilience, and adventure. She leaves behind a legacy forever cherished by her children: Karen Cassin (Tony), Dennis Daly (Sandy), Sue Ann Calmeyer (John), John Daly (Kelly); 15 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren (soon to be 14), and all who had the privilege of knowing her. She was preceded in death by her husband and best friend of 52 years, Jack Daly and her daughter, Mary Jane Borah.

In 1949, Mom and a childhood friend ventured to Yosemite from LA for summer employment in the Curry Village dining room. That same year, Dad and a college friend had the same idea and headed to Yosemite from San Francisco. Dad landed a job as a soda jerk in the Curry Village grill. Mom and her friend both wanted the one job available in the formal dining room. To her dismay, the flip of acoin landed Mom in the grill instead of the dining room. It might appear mom lost the coin flip, but turns out she was the clear winner. Jack and Pat knew right away they would become partners for life.

After graduating from LA High School and having earned her teaching credential from UCLA, Mom taught for many years at White Hill in Fairfax as well as other elementary and middle schools in Marin County.

Together Mom and Dad raised their five children in San Anselmo. It seemed effortless to us, but somehow Mom balanced her full-time career and her family, including her mother, our Nana, who lived with us for fifteen years. Whether at home or socializing, Mom always looked classy and put together.

She taught us how to move through hard stuff, having lost both of her older brothers at ayoung age. She married into Dad’s big Irish family, where he filled her life with happy chaos and family fun. Mom provided a perfect balance with her quiet strength and reserve. Through 52 years of marriage, Mom was always Dad’s willing accomplice for countless adventures and family gatherings. When they retired and bought their RV, they needed a ‘handle’, and that is how they became Hub City Jake and Lil Trish. They were such a good team!

When we lost our dad 21 years ago, Mom was faced with how to move forward into a new chapter of her life without her best friend. The silver lining for us kids was that we were able to spend more time with her and get to know her in anew way. She kept aclose eye onher Giants, Niners and Warriors, and we knew she would be tuned in on game day. Whether watching her teams, playing cribbage at happy hour, playing the piano, or just tooling around Oakmont in her golf cart, our relationship with Mom gradually evolved to mom AND best friend. She knew everything that was going on in the lives of her kids, grandkids and great grandkids, and loved to follow our location ‘dots’ on her phone.

Mom’s strong faith and parish community were at the very heart of her life as a parishioner at St Anselm and Star of the Valley.

A memorial celebration will be held at 11:00 a.m. on May 10 at Star of the Valley Catholic Church in Oakmont (Santa Rosa), followed by a reception at the parish hall.