Patricia passed away Sept. 26, 2008, in Seattle, at the age of 57. She was born on June 8, 1951, in Cedar Falls and lived on Merner Avenue until she went to school at Evergreen College, Olympia, Wash. She moved to the Pacific Northwest to pursue an opera and concert-singing career that took her around the world - culminating with a solo concert at the Mahler Festival in the Italian Alps. God had other plans for Patricia. The cruel diagnosis of scleroderma abruptly ended her operatic career at age 39.

She became involved with an organization that provides patient support and funds for scleroderma research. She succeeded in founding a chapter, which continues to help scleroderma survivors in the Pacific Northwest cope with this horrible, debilitating disease. Her passion for organizing led to a master's degree in public administration from Seattle University. Bird watching helped to free her from a wheelchair in 1999, and she remained active in Audubon and other ornithological societies until a tragic automobile collision ended her life.

She is survived by her mother, Kathryn; her sister, Diana Anderson; her domestic partner, Alan Lincoln of Seattle; and other family members. She was preceded in death by her father, Dr. Fred W. Lott Jr. of the UNI math department and her brother, Dr. Fred W. Lott III.

The family will receive visitors anytime between 1 and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at Fairview Cemetery, Cedar Falls. A memorial service will be held on Nov. 1 at Ronald United Methodist Church, 17839 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle. Memorial donations may be made to the Scleroderma Foundation, 89 Newbury St., Danvers, MA 01923.