Obituary of Patricia Jean Johnstone

Patricia Jean (Rattray-Starmer) Johnstone passed away April 11, 2023, a month shy of her 97th birthday. It has been shared by the family that she outlived the Queen Mum born the same year. Patricia was born in Marysville, California to John (Jack) Rattray and Ester Lensgraf-Rattray, both prominent chiropractors. He was the first to practice in California and the chiropractor to Babe Ruth and Lou Gherig as they passed through Marysville during the baseball barnstorming days and she was the oldest practicing in California as of the 1980’s. Patricia was raised in San Bruno where she attended schools. Patricia was a brief member of the Church of the Golden Rule which then had multiple locations from Imperial Valley to San Francisco to Novato and currently in Ukiah. Patricia became a member of the Church of Religious Science – Science of Mind in Palo Alto which is where she married Karey DJ Starmer and they raised their children. Patricia moved to Scotts Valley and the Soquel area in 1976. She loved the occasional swim in the ocean off New Brighton Beach. One of Patricia’s many blessings was living independently and even driving until six weeks ago. She had a couple of falls during the recent rains and the entire immediate neighborhood was there to assist her and convince her to go to the hospital. During her hospital stay she was diagnosed with and recovered from Covid only to succumb to congestive heart failure. Patricia is survived by her son Kim DJ Starmer and his wife Paige, daughter Kendra Leanna (aka Siri) Starmer, grandson Chanse Starmer and his wife Kahra, nephews Johnathan and Scott Butler, and niece Heather Butler-Kreiser. She was admired by her dear friends Jon and his wife Iryna, sister Kimberly and Jan. I wish more was known of her friends in the Santa Cruz area. Please come share your thoughts and memories of this wonderful, charming woman at the Memorial Service Saturday, June 10th at 1 PM at the Crystal Chapel, Oakwood Memorial Park, 3301 Paul Sweet Road in Santa Cruz.