Patricia A. “Pat” Moncrief died on March 4, 2025 at home in Hermiston at the age of 89.
She was born on March 1, 1936 in Osage, Iowa.
Pat was raised by her parents, William Thomas Counihan and Clara Mae Rodemaker in California. They lived in Los Angeles, Glendale and later Sun Valley, Calif. She attended St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic School throughout grade school and then attended and graduated from Burbank High School.
Pat married Harlan Ellwood in 1954 and they had five children. They moved to Portland in 1964. Pat and Harley divorced in 1971. She later met and married Byron May. The family moved to Hermiston when Byron was transferred to McNary Dam in 1975 and they later divorced. Pat married Darrel Moncrief in 1981 and moved to Weston Mountain, where they lived for nine years before his failing health required they move closer to medical care, returning to Hermiston.
Darrel and Pat were members of the Elks, where Pat was active in Emblem Club for many years. She was also an active member of the Good Shepherd Hospital Auxiliary for 23 years and the Eagles lodge, and she was a Vange John Memorial Hospice volunteer. She was a member of the Hermiston Travel Club and served as president for several years, promoting Collette Travel Vacations as a fund raiser, raising thousands of dollars for the hospital auxiliary to award scholarships and help purchase medical equipment. Pat loved to crochet and sold her hard work at Christmas bazaars.
She enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and traveling with Darrel until he passed away, and then with her good friend, Janice Howland, across the United States and to Europe. Pat also enjoyed fishing, camping, four-wheeling and dancing (especially with her companion, Dolph Dowdy, who passed away in 2015).
She is survived by her sons, Timothy Michael Ellwood, Portland and Robert Stephen Ellwood, Portland; daughters, Mary Maret, Hermiston and Julie McCluskey, Hermiston; step daughters, Teresa Moncrief, Hermiston and Vicki Atkinson, Salem; 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.
Pat was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Lorena Marie “Lori” Wyatt; son-in-law, Steve McCluskey; and step son, Darrel Moncrief.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held on Monday, March 10, 2025 at 6 p.m. at Burns Mortuary Chapel, Hermiston.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, Hermiston.
Burial will follow at the Hermiston Cemetery. Please share memories of Pat with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
