Patricia (Whitehurst) Ehlenberger |
| Posted 2008-01-04 by Pat Wilson |
| The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona December 23, 2005 Patricia Whitehurst Ehlenberger, 54, of Tempe, Arizona, passed away peacefully, just as she had lived, on December 21, 2005. Pat was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 27, 1951, the daughter of Jack and Lois WHITEHURST, and moved to Tempe with her family while still a child. She was a 1969 graduate of McClintock High School, and received her B.A. Magna Cum Laude from Arizona State University four years later. Pat then began a lifetime of world travels, and later received two Masters degrees, an M.S. in ESL, and an M.A. in German Literature, both from Indiana University at Bloomington. Pat's travels led her first to Europe, where she met her fellow adventurer, and future husband, Werner EHLENBERGER. From that moment onward, they lived and worked together; including jointly teaching at Northeastern Teachers College in Changchun, China, from 1981 to 1983, during which time they visited 26 of China's 29 provinces, and Tibet. Pat later applied her foreign language teaching skills as a tutor of many Hispanic and Asian immigrants, while becoming an award-winning technical writer for a series of Phoenix area healthcare software firms. Her kindness, generosity, and compassionate spirit changed the lives of all who knew her. In addition to teaching, and travel to over 40 countries around the globe, her many interests ranged from music (singing with the ASU Choral Union), to tending her organic garden, to hiking in the hills surrounding the cabin she and Werner built in the Dragoon Mountains. She is survived by Werner, her husband of 33 years, and her mother, Lois WHITEHURST, both of Tempe; her brother Stephen and sister-in-law Shirley WHITEHURST, of Eugene, OR; her aunts and uncles, including Bob and Judy WHITEHURST, of Gilbert, AZ; Lee and Sandra WHITEHURST, of Graeagle, CA; Helen WHITEHURST of Scottsdale, AZ; Don MORELAND of Des Moines, Iowa; her cousins, nieces and nephews, including Rachael TAYLOR of Sparks, NV; Patrick, Phillip, and Paul MAILAENDER, and Katrin EMBREE, of Stuttgart, Germany. Pat was predeceased by her father, Jack, and her nephew, Noah WHITEHURST. Like her family, her many friends, colleagues, and former students from around the world will mourn her passing, but move forward with gratitude for the blessing she provided in each of their lives. A celebration of her life as held at the Hackett House, 95 West 4th St./So. Maple, Tempe, AZ, on December 24th, 2005. Arrangements handled by Tempe Mortuary. |
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