Patricia Lou (Griffin) Jonas

Born to Benjamin Clifton Griffin and Annie Lee Eggleston, Patricia was a direct descendant of two 3rd great grandfathers who fought in the revolutionary war against the British. Her maternal family, The Eggleston's, arrived in 1635 among some of the first pilgrims in America. They settled on the James River in Virginia as a direct result of a land grant given by King Charles of England. Her mother was a nurse devoted to raising Patricia and her younger brother Joe. Annie Lee did this nearly single-handedly while Patricia and her brother attended school. A classy woman, Patrica was beautiful both inside and out. She often drew comparisons to Elizabeth Taylor in her early years. Patricia prided herself on being a healerboth emotionally and physically. A graduate of Placer High School in the class of 1947, her nursing education began at the old county hospital where she received her RN license. She worked in her early career as an ER nurse at the old county hospital and later as a labor-and-delivery nurse at Sutter Memorial Hospital in East Sacramento and Mercy General Hospital on J Street. Later, she obtained her bachelor's of nursing and her Master's of Nursing from California State University, Sacramento. In her later years, Patricia began a new career as a nursing instructor at American River College and Sacramento City College. She ended her teaching career at the Campus Verdes LVN/LPT program where she retired in 2009 just before her 80th birthday. She took tremendous pride in the fact that she held a current California nursing license until she took her last breath. Patricia was always at her happiest spending time with her grandchildren in her Sierra Oaks Vista home. She loved to cook them a 5-star breakfast at noon, then take them shoe shopping for only the most top notch footwear. She loved her Sierra Oaks Vista neighbors. At one time it is quite likely that she was acquainted with every inhabitant of the neighborhood. She could cry with you when you were at your saddest and make your smile even wider when you were at your happiest. With her passing, a bright light has truly gone out in our world. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 53 year Evon Jonas, a Sloughhouse cattle rancher, her mother Annie Lee Eggleston, her brother, Joe Griffin, and her son, John Patrick Jonas. She is survived by her two sons Evan "Slim" Jonas and Christopher Jonas, her daughter, Julia Jonas, and her three grandchildren Jonathan Jonas, Samantha Arosteguy (Joe), and Patrick Risley. Patricia was a devoted member of Saint Ignatius Parish for 50 years. The family further extends its gratitude to the excellent staff at Gramercy Court, Sacramento, who cared for Patricia over the past two years. Visitation was held from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, August 1, at W.F. Gormley and Sons, 2015 Capitol Ave., Sacramento, 95811. A Funeral Mass took place at 10:00am on Saturday, August 2, at Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, 3245 Arden Way, Sacramento, 95864, followed by a celebration of her life. If you wish to send a card to her family, please use the appropriate link above.