Patricia Ann Shorty (O'Rourke)

                                                                               Patricia Ann Shorty (O’Rourke)

Patricia Ann Shorty (O’Rourke) was born on September 19, 1943, in Chicago Heights, Illinois. She passed away peacefully on March 25th. She is preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Jimmy Shorty, her son Gregg Shorty, her parents John and Minnie O’Rourke, her brother Tom O’Rourke and many others who are waiting for her. 

She is survived by her sons Richard and Patrick Shorty, granddaughters Nikki and Alexis Shorty, great-grandkids Elysa and Amehlia Gonzales, Jace and Ameera West and brothers Gib, wife Donna O’Rourke, Mike, and wife Jan O’Rourke. 

She was raised in a small town called Chicago Heights, Illinois and was the youngest of 3 brothers. She graduated from Bloom Township High in 1961. She attended beauty school and received her Beauty Culturist Certificate in 1962. 

She met her husband Jimmy Shorty, and they married on May 28, 1966. She left Chicago Heights, Illinois to be with him where they would soon raise their family on the Navajo Reservation. It was a culture shock for her, but she adapted and was very well respected within his family. She began to understand some words of the language and would be known in our family as Shimá (mom). They moved to Albuquerque, bought their family home where they continued to care for their children. She started working at Sandia National Laboratories and later retired to care for her mother.

Patricia spent her life dedicated to taking care of others. She loved baking for her family and absolutely loved tending to her yard. She was selfless, patient, beautiful, and had the biggest heart imaginable. She cared deeply for her family, friends, and neighbors. She possessed a wealth of life experience and stories to tell. She provided guidance and was nurturing to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She listened to everyone and was not judgmental. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2022 and told us she was going to fight hard. She did just that to the bitter end. Her family is so proud to have known such an incredibly strong woman who would not allow anything to get her way of a good fight. Sleep peaceful, grams!