Loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, sister-in-law and friend, Patrician Marie Crofts passed away from complications from Alzheimer’s disease on February 20, 2025. Born January 8, 1943 in Madoc, Ontario, Canada to Joseph Andrew Sharrow and Violet Mae Whiteman Sharrow.

Mom’s younger years were spent in St. Regis, New York on the Mohawk Indian Reservation and in Canada as it was right on the border of both countries. Her mother died when she was just 8 months old. Things were left to her dad and older siblings to help raise her. She often told stories of her and her dad fishing, hunting and trapping deer, bear , and even trapping and eating a muskrat. I think it’s fur was of greater value than the worth of the taste of the meat. Mom grew up with the mighty St. Lawrence River right out of her back door. She would swim in the summer time and in the cold hard Canadian winters, when the river would freeze over, they would literally drive their cars and slide on play on it.

Her dad was full blooded Mohawk and spoke the language of the Mohawk people. He taught mom the language too, but she was not allowed to speak it when she attended the U.S. side to go to school. So with little use she slowly started forgetting how to speak it. When she was around 12-13 a young LDS couple was sent to the reservation and after talking to her dad, as mom said, “he was open to all religions”; the couple brought her back to Orderville, Utah! She was baptized in to the Mormon faith – the only one in her family. She stayed and went to school for a year or so. Mom started missing her family back in New York and happened to have some family friends attending BYU that were heading back home, so it worked out perfect. Mom always appreciated the Cooke family for the ride back to New York. She was happy to be back and her dad was even happier to have his little Patsy home. She would talk about the day her dad had a heart attack and passed away. She was only fourteen, but she remembered that day like it was yesterday. Having lost both parents at such a young age, life was both sad and hard for her. She now needed to get a job, so moved to Syracuse, New York with her sister Shirley and waited tables at a little diner.

Pat always kept in touch with a young man in Orderville, and now at 19 they met up again, he being in the Navy and stationed back east. She married Dennis Crofts on May 26, 1962 in Rochester, New York after getting permission from his mother Ines back in Kanab, as dad had lost his wallet the night before their wedding. They moved around from back east to the west coast, but ended up planting their roots in Dennis’ ole stomping grounds of Orderville. By this time they had 3 kids- two east coasters and a west coaster. I guess they needed a soup-towner too! With four kids, dogs, cats, often some pigs, sheep, a horse or two, cows, rabbits, chickens, a job at Thunderbird Restaurant, Kanab Interiors, and then a lunch lady for Valley schools mom finally landed a job she loved. Not too much later she would add custodian for Valley High School to her resume. She would end up retiring from both of these school positions.

Mom always had an eye for remodeling our old house. She would say “lets knockdown this wall and do this to this room” and dad would get‘er done. She could also sew quite well, Donna always had Easter and Christmas dresses. But the outfit that Donna remembers most was the matching plaid pantsuits that Patricia made for herself and Donna. Our family went to dinner at Nedra’s in Fredonia then to the showhouse in Kanab and watched Freak Friday. It was the best birthday ever.

Mom could do just about anything: We always had a garden and a lot of fruit trees. She would bottle tomatoes, peaches, pears and make pickles. Her jams and jellies were tasty too. She also loved planting pretty flowers, quilting, and taking good care of us kids, but the best talent mom had was her cooking and baking. She could make a feast out of nothing. She loved reading cookbooks and knew which spices went with which foods the best. Her bread was always a treat and when she made cinnamon rolls they covered our kitchen counters from one end to the other.

Sundays were always a special time to go over home, Mom always had an amazing dinner fixed for all of us, and the company was great too. Summertime and their parties were the best, dutchoven dinner out on the patio. Good times that will be missed greatly.

Pat is survived by her four kids; Scott (Nesha) Crofts, Andy (Shelie) Crofts, Donna (Kenley) Glover, Jerry (Michelle) Crofts, 18 Grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren and 2 great great- grandchildren with 1 more on the way, plus nieces and nephews. She is proceeded in death her parents, husband Dennis, brothers, Jerald and Donny, sisters, Shirley, Betty, and Velma, and nephews Dennis and Stephen.

A Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 1, 2025 in the Orderville Cemetery. There will be a viewing from 10:00 to 10:45 at the Orderville LDS Church.

The family of Pat would like to thank the friends and staff at “Our House” care facility in Cedar City, with special thanks going out to Dianna, Anna, Mandy and Debbie. Your special touch and loving care means the world to us.