Patrick K. “Pat” Arterburn died on May 5, 2025 at his home in Hermiston at the age of 68.
He was born on Oct. 30, 1956 in Kearney, Neb. to Kenneth and Mary Lyons Arterburn.
“My dad was one of the kindest human beings to ever walk this earth. He was the most selfless person I’ve ever known – so much of who I am, my morals and values, came from him. He was honest to his core, always doing the right thing even when it was hard. All he wanted was for people to get along and be happy.
He loved animals deeply, especially his little dog Snickers, who stuck to his side like glue. That dog was his shadow, his buddy, and I think Snickers knew just how good she had it. Dad would give you the shirt off his back without a second thought. But family? Family was everything to him.
His granddaughters, Nicole and Kimber Arterburn, lit up his world. He’d watch them with a quiet pride, the kind that only a grandad knows, a love that doesn’t need words. He loved me, his son, with everything he had. Even when life threw its hardest punches, he stood by me, not with grand speeches, but with a loyalty that never wavered.
Randy Paullus was his best friend. Their bond was going to the mountains, working side by side on the property or just hanging out with Randy and Beth – days of laughter, the kind that only exists between men who trust and love each other completely. Perry Sobota was his lifelong friend and neighbor. They could sit for hours talking about anything and everything, two kindred spirits who shared a love for animals and the quiet joy of simple companionship.
He was fiercely protective of his little sister, Beth Paullus. Her pain was his pain. If she hurt, he hurt. He carried her struggles in his heart like they were his own, shielding her from the world’s sharp edges however he could. She may never fully know how deeply he cared.
He adored his niece, Britney Kestner and her husband, Tyler. He spoke of Britney’s accomplishments with a pride that swelled in his chest – a pride reserved for someone he admired not just as family, but as a person who made the world brighter. He loved her three girls, Everlee, Evee, and Tylee, like they were his own. To him, they were pure joy, little reminders of the love that outlives us all. His nephew, Jake Paullus – Jake, he saw your strength and quietly admired it; you’re his only nephew and he loved you dearly. Alex Alvarez, my best friend, my brother, he trusted you with one of the most precious parts of his life – me. He appreciated every single thing you did for me and the type of friendship you bring to my life. He thought extremely highly of you.
If you knew my dad, you knew his heart. I don’t think a single person could say a bad word about him.
Life wasn’t always easy for him. He carried a lot of pain and loss, but he never let it turn him bitter. Instead, he turned it into a quiet strength, the kind that holds others up when they’re too tired to stand. To everyone I’ve mentioned here, and to anyone else who mattered to him, he loved you more than you’ll ever know. You were his world.
I want people to remember him for who he was: a proud Navy veteran who served on the USS Guardfish (SS-612), a nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine. As a machinist’s mate, he worked in the belly of that steel tube, keeping it running deep under the ocean. I could never do what he did – the guts that takes! He took pride in every job, big or small. His hands were skilled in carpentry, his gardens were full of life, and he found peace in yardwork. But really, his favorite thing was helping people. It gave him purpose – not for praise, not for thanks, just because it was right. I hope I can make him proudby living like he did.
Last Saturday, just days before he passed, Dad, me, and my girls went to Fort Walla Walla and the Whitman Mission. It was cold, but Nicole and Kimber stuck close to him, asking questions and laughing. I can still feel the way he squeezed my shoulder that day – a silent “I love you” that echoes now louder than ever. I didn’t know it’d be our last weekend together, but I’ll thank God forever for that memory.
If anyone has stories about my dad, please share them with me. Tell me how he made you laugh, how he showed up when you needed him, or even the way he’d nod quietly when words weren’t enough. I need those pieces of him now more than ever.
Dad, I love you. I hope you knew how much. You were the best father, the best grandad, and the best friend to so many. Your love wasn’t loud – it was in the doing, the showing up, the staying. To everyone who loved him back, thank you. Forgive me if I haven’t called yet. This pain is heavy, but so is the love he left behind. Let’s hold onto it, for him. I love you all.”
No service will be held.
Please share memories of Pat with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
