Patricia Masten

Patricia Louise (Varitek) Conant Masten, 66, of Mountain Home, passed away on Wednesday, April 19, 2017, at her home. On Tuesday, April 25, 2017, a viewing will be held from 4 p.m. until the 6 p.m. Rosary at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel, located at 500 North 18th East St., in Mountain Home.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at Our Lady of Good Counsel, and burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain Home.

Patricia was born in Tucson, Ariz., on Nov. 16, 1950, to Vincent A. and Lenora (Knox) Varitek. Patricia was the third of six children. Most of her life, she was raised in Mountain Home.

She graduated from MHHS in 1969. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Boise State College for two years and then transferred to Idaho State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Consumer Economics Education. Her career choice was influenced by the example set at home and the example from her dear home economics teacher, Mrs. Edwards, and Mary Ferbrache.

Her first full-time employment upon college graduation in May 1973 was as a Home Living Skills Instructor at the Idaho State School and Hospital at the VTL. It was there that she met Glenard Conant Jr., a fellow employee. They courted and were soon wed.

From this union came two beloved sons, Christopher and Jonathan. Though this union was dissolved in divorce, Patricia felt so fortunate to have been marred to Glen and blessed with her two sons.

With Patricia, her sons always came first in her every prayer, thought and concern. Patricia loved being a Mother and later Grammie.

After seven years as a single parent, Patricia met, fell in love with and married William (Bill) Masten on April 2, 1985. Both felt their meeting was in God’s plans and the “green-bean man” was God’s instrument.

Their meeting came at the right time, as Patricia was concerned about a good strong male role model for her young sons. That she found in Bill. Bill was her dear husband, helper, protector, love of her life, kindred spirit and an excellent father to her two sons.

Patricia was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church.

After working at Idaho State School and Hospital for about a year, Patricia taught Home Economics at Jefferson Junior High School for three years. At the end of Patricia’s third year and the time of her divorce, she returned to Mountain Home.

In Mountain Home, she found employment working as Assistant Manager at "Fashion Fabrics," a new store opening in Mountain Home. Upon its closure approximately a year later, Patricia worked as a substitute teacher until a permanent teaching position became available. It did in due time, and Patricia took a position as a Home Economics teacher at Mountain Home Junior High School in 1979.

A career change was made in 1999, and she continued teaching at Mountain Home Junior High School in Keyboarding/Computer education until her retirement with disability in 2006.

She enjoyed her career as a teacher and touched many lives with her positive approach and individual concern. She said her rheumatoid arthritis pain seemed to disappear when she entered the halls of MHJHS.

Teaching was one of her several loves in life. She found great enjoyment in spending time with her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed spending time in "Patty’s Parlor" doing sewing, crafts, taking pictures, computer generated projects or the outdoors in her flower garden. E-mail was her daily favorite way of communication with her family, friends and acquaintances.

It is often said that angels walk among us, blessing the lives of the people they touch and leaving enormous voids, when they leave us for home. Patricia was one of those angels and, although she left us far too soon the lives she touched have been forever graced by her presence.

Patricia leaves behind her cherished and dear husband, Bill, and her beloved sons, Christopher (Michele) Conant and granddaughters Emma Conant and Grace Conant; Jonathan (Nicole) Conant and grandson Julian Conant; brother Vincent A. (Marylyn) Varitek Jr.; sisters Julie (Bill) Sandrus, Kathy (Paul Livesay) Varitek, Cecilia Varitek and Teresa (Michael) Kosik; three nieces, four nephews and several great-nieces and great-nephews. She also leaves behind Bill’s five children, their spouses and families and three dear grandchildren, Nicholas Masten, Connor New and Colin New.

Her nephew, William Jeffery Sandrus, "Daddy-the green-bean man," her mama and Timothy A. Masten preceded her in death.