Patricia Scribner

The family of Patricia Ann Dabrowski-Scribner-Dennert sadly announce her passing on January 30, 2013. Patricia was 66 and spent her last few months at the Munson Hospice House after a 3 year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Pat was born on September 19, 1946 in Muskegon, Michigan to her parents Anthony and Helen Dabrowski. She was the oldest of four children: Michelle, Anthony Jr., and Stephen. She would laugh and tell stories of her childhood, such as trying not to get caught sneaking out with her best friend Jan James. She graduated from Catholic Central High School in 1964 and went on to Muskegon Community College.

Pat married Charles Scribner in 1966 and they moved to Louisville Kentucky. There, at the University of Louisville, she finished her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and began her life-long passion for teaching. She was trying to be a great housewife and one afternoon accidentally fell asleep with a meatloaf in the oven. She woke up as the fire department arrived, as well as her husband. Whoops! Eventually the couple moved back to Michigan where they began their family. They had two daughters: Laurie in 1974 and Mary in 1977. Pat took some time off from teaching to be a stay-at-home mom. According to Pat, being a mother was her greatest accomplishment in life.

When her daughters started school, Pat went back into teaching at Grant Public. Her husband Charles died in 1986 and eventually, she and the girls moved to Hart where she taught at Hart Public and later at Lakeshore Academy. She married Jerry Dennert in 1990, a long-time friend and native to Hart. After Pat’s children were grown and on their own, she and Jerry traveled for leisure with friends and family. Some of Pat’s greatest adventures were with her sister Michelle to Scotland, England, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy. As soon as she got to Italy, she was riding in the bus and exclaimed that even the bus smelled like Italy. Well, come to find out, it was her hat that smelled like olive oil. That hat was named Olive for the rest of the trip! She loved the ancient cities and wished she could have gone to see them again. Ultimately, she retired from teaching in 2003. Pat was joyful and had a unique sense of humor. She had a photo of Queen Victoria over her commode and called it her “throne”.

Once a person afraid of animals, Pat ended up taking in an abandoned black lab puppy that she affectionately named Tory (after Queen Victoria). Pat needed Tory as much as Tory needed Pat. They would go for walks on the beach and for car rides. Pat ended up developing a love for this dog so strong that she found it hard to discipline her. One day while speaking with an insurance agent in her home, Tory ate one of the man’s shoes. He left with one and a half shoes, and Pat ended up having to buy a new pair a shoes.

Pat later moved to Muskegon to be closer to her aged parents and her grandbabies (Mkena, Addisyn, and Jaxon). She loved to help in their classrooms, go for lunches, and baby sit any time she could. Pat went along with Laurie and her family on their every-other-year excursions to Disney World. She was known by the kids as “Meme” and they could talk her into almost anything. They would play imaginary games for hours at a time. Occasionally, the silliness would be “caught” in photos: Mkena climbing all over a table, Jaxon dressed in one of Mkena’s nightgowns, and Addisyn’s new “jammies” made out of a pillowcase!

Pat ended up becoming a member of her Condo Association’s board of directors and started to volunteer at the Noah Project, a local pet rescue. While she loved dogs, she still wasn’t so sure about cats. She did the laundry there, which happened to be in the “cat room”. One special kitty would welcome her by jumping directly on Pat’s chest and scare the bejeebers out of her every time.

Pat was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September, 2009 . She was able to fight it for a while and met many friends through the Johnson Family Cancer Center’s cancer group. Pat moved in with her daughter Mary in Interlochen in 2011. There she spent many hours writing, watching the Harry Potter movies and watching QVC. She decided to try to buy everyone’s Christmas gifts from QVC and ended up having the phone number memorized! She “learned” to drive a Jazzy electric wheelchair and laughed at all of the lasting “memories” she left on the walls, appliances, and doors. During this time, she met Pastor Pete Moon and dedicated the remaining part of her life to Jesus. Although she wasn’t able to attend often, she thought of the Harbor Light Christian Center as home. Her final residence was at the Munson Hospice House.

Pat laughed, loved, and gave much more to those around her than she ever took. She will be missed beyond measure.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents Anthony and Helen Dabrowski. She is survived by her two daughters, Laurie (Erik) Huffman of Norton Shores, Mary (Kevin) Douglas of Interlochen, her three beloved grandchildren: Mkena, Jaxon, & Addisyn Huffman; her true love Jerry Dennert of Hart, her sister Michelle Kasper (Brent Worms) of Traverse City; two brothers, Anthony Dabrowski of Mishawaka, IN; Steve (Nancy) Dabrowski of Grand Rapids sister-in-law, Janis Sheggrud; nephews and nieces, Andy and Caitlin Dabrowski, Eric Sheggrud, Jana Quinn, Connie Timmer, Kristine Temple, and Mitch Sheggrud and her stepchildren, Jenna Hickman, Adam and Amber Dennert.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday February 9th at the Harbor Light Christian Center in Traverse City with Pastor Pete Moon officiating. The service will be at 1:00pm, with the family accepting friends at 12:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to the Harbor Light Christian Center, Traverse City or Noah Project, Muskegon.

The family is being served by Life Story Funeral Home. Please visit Patricia’s page at www.lifestorynet.com to sign the guestbook and share a message of memory with her family.