Hazel Patu was the administrative secretary at Thurgood Marshall Elementary for 20 years. She was a joyful, kind presence in our office and many remember her as the first person they ever met when they came to our school – both students and staff. Hazel touched the lives of many, as evidenced from the memories submitted by our community. We will continue to add the memories you submit and we will share them with Hazel’s family and children, Lydia and Lyndon.
I worked with Hazel for seven years. I had many opportunities to witness how she set people at ease – students, parents, district staff coming into our office, teachers who had a tough day. She always took the time to greet people and form a connection with them. I got to see the kind of mom Hazel was first-hand when her son Lyndon attended our school and after when he came to visit. Lyndon’s education was so important to her and even more important was his character. She taught him to be respectful to all, to be kind, and to help those in need of support. Hazel – you will be missed. We will keep you in our hearts.
Katie May
I remember Ms. Patu…..
Saying “Good Morninggg” each day.
Making spaces cleaner and better than they were left.
Asking me about my family and helping me whenever I needed it.
I will miss you, Ms. Patu. You have made your mark here and on all of us. Sending you and your family so much love and comfort.
Love, Melissa (Ms. Matsui)
My daughter said that Ms. Patu always told her a joke when she went to the office to pick stuff up. She is really going to miss that.
Tejal Armes 3rd grade.
Besides her dry wit and bountiful help, I will always remember the enormous ring of keys and stuffies Ms. Patu would hand over if I needed the elevator or book room. I was sure to never forget to return that huge bundle!
Lauren Laughlin
Ms. Patu was a constant, consistent and kind presence for our family at Thurgood Marshall. She was always ready with a smile, a helpful hand, or a word of encouragement for my boys and even for me! I know how much she loved her kids, and especially was always on the lookout for new and exciting opportunities for Lyndon. She was such a valued part of our community and we will all remember her with great fondness.
Katherine Barr
“I remembered when Ms. Patu first started working in the office. She was so quiet and nervous about learning so many tasks. I would always speak to her and tell her to hang in there. Ms. Patu has been a staple in the Thurgood Marshall Community for many years, She is always there to give you kind words of encouragement or a hug when you felt overwhelmed. I will miss “telling her jokes and making her laugh”.
Her laugh was so heartfelt and happy and at times, she would cry laughing”. I will miss her helping me with field trip tasks, mailing documents to the office or just being a receptive ear to listen to”. My heart hurt when Ms. Patu passed away because I felt like I did not have the opportunity to let her know that I was there for her, how much she was appreciated and how much her presence has been so valuable at Thurgood Marshall.
Goodbye Hazel Patu and Rest in Heaven!
Mrs. Howard-Powell
It's so hard to imagine Thurgood Marshall without Ms. Patu. We've lost such an enormous part of our community and it will never be the same. Ms. Patu was always down to share a laugh or sympathize with you during particularly tough days. She could be so kind and joyful. She liked to listen to jazz and NPR during work. She'd light up whenever you asked about her two children, Lydia and Lyndon. When Lyndon was a 5th grader, she would sometimes call him over the loudspeaker to remind him to grab his lunch or call his classroom to remind him to wear a coat outside if it was cold. She'd also go check on him during recess sometimes and watch him play soccer or football. You could tell how proud she was of her kids and how much she adored them. I'll miss hearing her walk down the hall at the end of the day with her keys jangling--it was the signal that it was time to go home to be with those we love. She will be so very missed.
Aidan McIlhenny
I got to know MS Patu a little better when I hung out in the Main Office as an Enrichment volunteer after school on Wednesdays. MS Patu was definitely the louder of the two in the Main Office (and I love Ms. Dickey for her quiet steady faithfulness! : ) She was friendly to me, always making it a point to call out "Hello, MS Fontana!" when I passed by the office. In fact, one of my last visual memories of her was waving to me when I passed by on the sidewalk last year after the pandemic hit. One of my final memories of a conversation I had with her in the office was about how Costco delivered her lunch, and what a great find that was. It was fun to talk with her. I felt like MS Patu embodied and held the history of Thurgood Marshall and the neighborhood. I will miss her vibrancy, warmth, humor and welcome. My heart goes out to her family, MS Dickey, MS May, MS Lorow and all the faculty, staff and students at the school who knew and loved her as well.
Andrea W Fontana, MDiv
Mrs. Patu was a special part of the years our family has spent at Thurgood Marshall. We enjoyed talking about each of
our boys and watching them play music at WMS. She had a special connection with our youngest, Cole, when he was a toddler. He loved to punch numbers and shapes from the Ellison press and one day, when he gave Mrs. Patu and Mrs. Dickey the numbers, Mrs. Patu made earrings out of them. She always knew how to make others smile. Her kindness, great sense of humor, and warmth will remain with us.
Casey Sommers
First Grade Teacher and Primary Lead
St. Therese Catholic Academy
My fond memory of Ms. Patu was her beautiful smile and cheerful hello every time I walked into the front office with Nathan when I was volunteering. There was never a time when she didn’t greet me by name. Nathan always loved to see her and Ms. Dickey and say Good Morning before heading to class. Nathan and I will definitely miss her friendly smile and the love she showed to everyone at Thurgood Marshall.
Rest in Peace Ms. Patu We will always love you ❤️
Patricia Wastman
Dear Ms. Patu,
I miss you so much. In the afternoons I would do errands for Ms. Lily and I would come to the office. I miss you so much. You were always so kind and caring, and we were lucky to have you. When I left for the two weeks off school, not knowing it was a year or more, I just wish I could say goodbye.
Lydia Knight
I have known her for 4 and a half years; she is a very sweet person. I remember all those times when my mom was late to pick me up, Ms. Patu was there to call my mom and remind her. It will be sad without Ms. Patu, but she is always with us in our hearts.
Gabby Hui
It won't be the same without Ms. Patu.
Ian Neufeld
Although I didn't really get to know Ms. Patu, she seems like a nice person. From what you all are saying, it makes me feel sad just knowing that someone so special isn’t a part of our life anymore. I hope Ms. Patu rests in peace.
Naomi Kassa
Ms. Patu was probably the nicest person I knew. She was so kind. She will always be in my heart.
Isla Oh
Over the last five years, I have worked frequently as a substitute in the school nurse’s office, which is, of course, adjacent to the front office. When I had a newborn at home, Ms. Patu helped ease my transition back to work, by unlocking the more comfortable offices so I could privately pump, and always asking to see photos of the baby and the toddler. Somehow, she always remembered their names. And she was always extremely proud to tell me about her own family. She loved her family fiercely. She always projected a joyful presence to the office. It was absolutely contagious. Her presence for the students was therapeutic—she made everyone at ease right away. As a school nurse, I know our practice benefited having her just feet away. So many students come to the nurse’s office scared, anxious, and sad. Ms. Patu lifted their spirits and rallied mine so I could be a better nurse. I know I didn’t know her well, but this loss cuts deep. Ms. Patu was such a bright, bright light. I’ll picture her eating the olives I got her one Christmas. We were both in the front office long after other staff had left, trying to get things organized before leaving for the next few weeks. She was just so fun, funny, and easy-going. We were both so sick of cookies. I think she ate all of the olives right away. Oh gosh. Rest in power, Ms. Patu.
Mariah
I am so sorry for you guys my name is LC well the L stands for Louise and the C stands for Cecelia I am truly sorry she was always helpful to all of the school and all the school means to me too I remember once me and my brother were late for school and we went to Ms. Patu when I got the news I felt one feeling sadness. Sincerely,
LC
Hi the other note on the other side was my sister I don’t go to Thurgood Marshall anymore I still remember how kind Ms. Patu was when I would go to get a bus slip to go on a different bus she would always be so nice to me and ask how my day was and would help if I had a bad day she helped me so much even though I might only see her a couple of minutes a week I really hope you are doing okay. Sincerely,
Oscar Hwang
Our family is so sad to hear about Ms. Patu. From the first day our family set foot in the office at Thurgood we felt welcomed by the warmth that Ms. Patu and Ms. Dickey created for our community. Her generosity and approachability amidst the multitude of tasks and demands she was juggling was truly remarkable. She welcomed us always with kindness and friendliness that helped us feel a place of belonging in our school community. Before my daughter joined her brother at TM, Ms. Patu would always look to her and say, "when are you going to come to school here?" This small gesture warmed my heart as she let my daughter know that she was welcome, and it was her community too. In quiet moments when I would wait in the front office, I would love to watch Ms. Patu and Ms. Dickey as they interacted with the kids, and the myriad of responsibilities, making each other laugh. I felt so grateful for the community Ms. Patu worked to create and nurture. You could tell that she truly cared about every child in the way she treated them. Even when I was helping out with admin tasks in the front office and might need a little extra guidance, she would be kind and patient with me, which always made me want to come back. She will be greatly missed. We send our sincerest condolences to her children. May her memory be eternal.
The Henning Versakos Family (Plum, Gus, Gitane and Jason)
Something I remember about Ms. Patu is that since my first day at Thurgood Marshall she always shouted hi to me in the halls and was super nice. Taimane, Ms. Laughlin's 4th grade class
Ms. Patu, it was such a joy to work just a few feet away from your desk and to have some of your contagious warmth overflow into our Health Room. You brought your light and your smile and your music to work with you, every day, without fail. You brought such a lively soundscape to our school. The radio playing in the background… Your hearty laugh… Your jokes! You made me laugh so hard and made me feel so welcome from day one as a rookie school nurse. I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome into the Thurgood Marshall community. Plus, you were so good at your job and so knowledgeable about the school, I could come to you with all kinds of questions. Yours was the first smile I’d see, and the first good morning I’d hear, as I walked by your desk first thing in my workday. (And you were there early in the morning!) You were usually the last one to wish me a good evening. Sometimes I needed a reminder to not stay in too late, and I was happy to oblige! The traditional happy Friday! always made the weekend sound even more exciting when it came from you 😊. Your natural ability to connect with others was truly beautiful and inspiring.
I miss you, Hazel!
Cristina DeMelo Wirkala
“Hazel had a wonderful way of making me slow down and refocus. Often in the hurry of morning preparations for school, I would go to ask Hazel a question. She would look at me and say, “Good Morning, Carol” and wait for me to respond. It always brought my rushing around to a standstill- reminded me to stop, to slow down and take a few moments to connect with those around me!”
Carol Lehman
Hazel, I will miss seeing you each morning—your smile, hellos, the many genres of music, NPR, your how is Nico, and what did you do over break? I think you must have told me the mail stop at least 40 times since 2010. You were an incredible mother, and I know this because I was given a gift the year Lyndon was in my 4th grade class. What an incredibly empathetic, kind, and hardworking child. That’s nurture, that’s family work, that’s you Hazel. You will not be forgotten.
Alison
With our family's deep condolences to your family as you all navigate this challenging chapter of life. I recall my chats with Ms. Patu as I would come in for various reasons - they would range from TME related things, to sharing summer camp opportunities/educational resources for our kids and of course, the topic of plantain, banana and breadfruit chips😉 We have appreciated her presence and caring nature and will certainly miss her! Wishing you all much strength, calm, peace and support during these times.
The Jenkins Family!
Angie (mom to Jordan in Ms. Gese's 3rd grade class)
I was in 3rd grade when I REALLY met Ms. Patu. I saw her in the office now and then, but I didn't KNOW her, know her. Then, I started working in the lunchroom. All the money that the lunchroom made, I Delivered the money that the lunchroom made from the cafeteria to the office, and I would say hi to Ms. Patu. She was always so kind, and sweet, and the type of person that just lights up your heart when you are around them. I started to really care about her. When they first announced no school for two weeks, I said bye, but a 'See you in two weeks' sort of thing. Not, Goodbye, I'll miss you. When our teacher announced the news, and told us that the person who died worked in the office, I could only think one thing: No, No, Please no. It hurts so much to think that Ms. Patu will not be in my life anymore, so the only things I can do is keep her memory alive and remember the person who changed my life. I really mean what I'm about to say: Goodbye, Ms. Patu.
Lydia, 4th grade Ms. Whitney's class
I think back to how welcoming Hazel was to me whenever I entered the office. She had a sense of fun about her. The way she would say my name made it feel like we had this inside joke! She acted like I was up to no good and that made me laugh every time. She was also great about asking if I was going home to my parents in California before each break. I was always impressed that she remembered and asked about that. I will certainly miss her.
Laurie Jensen
I wanted to share a couple of things about Mrs. Patu. Back when my eldest daughters Lucy (now 14 years) started 2nd grade and my son, Kenney (now 12 years) at Thurgood Marshall, I remember feeling quite a bit anxiously for s as Lucy would be starting the HCC program, and Kenney , Kindergarten. However, I remember fondly on the first day of school, Mrs. Patu greeted us with a big smile and said, “you’re going to like it here.” Like right off of Annie set. Another one of the wonderful memories of Mrs. Patu, was how excited and appreciative she was when I brought her and Ms. Dickey lemon bars. And finally, when interacting with my youngest daughter, Kat, when we would drop off my 2 older kids (now 7 years old and in Ms. Glass’ class), she would lovingly say “Hi Kit Kat, my you look pretty today.” We love Mrs. Patu. She will be greatly missed. She was such an icon for TM, kind, friendly, hardworking, helpful. She always seemed happy and positive; despite the 101 tasks she was trying to complete. She made life look easy! We would like to donate to her son’s college funds. Our heart goes out to him! With love,
Laura Keever
Textbooks, curricula, teaching styles, theories about learning, school building designs, and even school buildings themselves come and go. New approaches replace old ones. Old ones reappear when new ideas don’t prove as welcome or as effective as they seemed at first. As a student, a parent, and a teacher, I have found these changes disorienting and sometimes discouraging. When I felt this way, I took encouragement from long time school staff members like Hazel Patu. Her tenure at Thurgood Marshall extended across changes in programs, leadership, and staff. Her memory for people (students, parents, staff) and consistent, strong presence in the building bridged these changes and reminded me that connections between people make a school. As I was passing through the office or making copies in the workroom, I occasionally overheard Hazel and Ms. Dickey as they (sometimes prompted, I think, by a visit from a former student) reminisced about how things were at Thurgood Marshall well before my time here. I found this continuity inspiring and comforting. I miss Hazel and I imagine that feeling will grow as new changes come along.
Robert Long
It is difficult to image Thurgood Marshall without Hazel. Each time I would walk into the office she would look up, smile and shout, "Hello Ms. Hobbs!". How could you not smile when seeing her joyous face or all the fun items she collected over the years which decorated her desk. My son Jacob (12, now at Washington Middle School) and my daughter Evie (5th grade, Ms. Egelhoff) loved her energy. Our condolences to her family and loved ones, she will be greatly missed by the community here at Thurgood Marshall
The Hobbs Family, Jacob, Evie, Jen and Tom
Hazel Dedications from 2nd Grade-Cora Glass’s Class
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