Patricia Ann “Patty” Pease, 69, of Marysville, died Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, at her home surrounded by her loving family.
An educator and coach, she was a pioneer for women’s high school sports locally and at the state level. She taught health, physical education and mathematics for Fairbanks middle and high schools and retired in 2015 after 45 years with the school district. A 1966 graduate of Tiffin Columbian High School, she received a Bachelor’s degree in education from Otterbein College in 1970 and a Master’s degree in 1988 from Wright State University.
Her initiation to coaching at Fairbanks began as the Girls’ Athletic Association advisor for intramural sports. During the 1972 and 1973 school year, she was instrumental in the expansion of girl’s interscholastic competition in basketball, track and table tennis between other local high schools. In joining the West Central Ohio Conference the following year and, in making her volleyball coaching debut, Coach Pease and Fairbanks High School entered into full interscholastic league competition in all girls sports.
As a basketball and track coach, she impacted many stand-out athletes. In volleyball, she guided her teams throughout the years to 17 league titles, 16 sectional championships, seven district championships, four regional titles, two state runner-up titles in 1976 and 1978 and a state championship title in 1977. During her last year of coaching in 1994, she led the Fairbanks Panthers to the state semi-finals. Her 24-year volleyball coaching career record was 432-74. Throughout those years, she received countless “Coach of the Year” recognitions and, in 2004, she was inducted into the Ohio Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
As an educator, she served as past president of the Fairbanks Education Association, mentored new staff members and was a recipient of “Teacher of the Year” in 2015 by the high school student body. A member of Marysville First United Methodist Church, she enjoyed gardening, reading, traveling and cooking. She will be fondly remembered for sharing her many Christmas cookies. Above all, her impact on generations of students, athletes and the entire Fairbanks community was predicated on her high expectations of integrity, responsibility and respect.
She was born on Nov. 27, 1947, in Lima, to the late Robert and Jane Weaver Pease.
She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Pease of Philadelphia; extended family, Barbara Russ, Jennifer (Nathan) Sever and Audrey and Addison Sever, all of Marysville; and sister, Penny (Steve) Fazekas of Granville.
The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Underwood Funeral Home. The Rev. Aaron Brown and Lay Minister Bill Kelly will officiate funeral services at 11 a.m. Friday at Marysville First United Methodist Church. Burial will be at Oakdale Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Patty Pease Memorial Scholarship or Loving Care Hospice of Union County. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.underwoodfuneralhome.com.