Patricia "Pat" Salyer

1924—2019

Patricia “Pat” Salyer passed peacefully at the Yountville, CA Veterans Home on May 5th, 2019. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren and supported by the wonderful and kind caregivers of the Yountville Veterans Home.

Pat is survived by her six children, Daniel May of Yountville, CA, Brian Salyer of Fort Collins, CO, Diana Salyer of Randolph, VT, Michael Salyer of Napa, CA, Kathleen Salyer of Washington, DC, Sean Salyer of Anchorage, AK and her three grandchildren, Mariah Salyer of Brooklyn, NY, Kayla Salyer of Denver, CO and Sierra Salyer of Anchorage, AK. She is predeased by her beloved husband Dean Salyer and sister Eileen Haining.

Pat was born on May 30, 1924 to Clinton and Maude McKeighan in Chicago, Ill. Pat, a WWII veteran, went into the Navy in 1944. After training at the Navy Instrument Training School in Chicago she became an Aviation Machinists Mate. Stationed at the Naval Air Station in Alameda, CA, she worked on torpedoes before women were allowed to become a Torpedoman’s Mate. She was then transferred to Ford Island Naval Air Station in Hawaii. There she worked on aircraft instruments and flew in virtually every type of military aircraft while calibrating their instruments.

After leaving the service, Pat attended Culver Stockton College in Canton, Missouri where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in May 1950. In 1956 she married Dean Salyer in Reno, Nevada. She and Dean raised six children, instilling in them the importance of family, social responsibility, and pursuing one’s passions.

Throughout the rest of her career, Pat worked as a medical technologist at various hospitals in California and Oregon until retiring in 1986 to Rogue River, OR. The couple later moved to Prineville, Oregon to be closer to their grandchildren until Dean passed away in 1997. Pat then moved to Yountville, CA in 1999 to be near several of her children. In retirement Pat pursued an avid interest in family genealogy and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

She was a loving mother who always put her children first. Her children are eternally grateful to the amazing, loving staff at the Yountville Veterans Home for their kindness, caring and professionalism.

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