Patrice Parr

Feb 10, 1956 -

Oct 11, 2024

Patrice Anne Parr "Patty," M.D., passed away peacefully in Seattle, Wash., at Harborview Medical Center on Oct. 11, 2024, as her loving husband Bob held her hand. Patty was born in Seattle on Feb. 10, 1956. She is preceded in death by her parents, George Parr and Mariette Parr; and survived by her husband, Robert "Bob" Griffin; sister, Monique Parr, M.D.; brother-in-law, David Duewer; nephew, Rob Duewer (Lauren); and great-nephew, Gavin Duewer.

Patty graduated from Holy Names High School as valedictorian in 1973. She was a scholarship student at Stanford, where she worked in a campus dining hall and did housework and typing for her income. She attended the University of Washington School of Medicine and continued working the same summer job her first three years of medical school. After completing her internship, when she and Bob met, and residency at UC Davis Sacramento Medical Center, Patty began her 30-year career at the Department of Veterans Affairs, taking a position that was structured for a doctor who would also serve as adjunct clinical faculty at UC Davis.

"Our Veterans Deserve the Best" was not just a slogan to Doctor Patty Parr. As a primary care internist at the Sacramento and Anchorage VA clinics, as well as Chief of Medicine for 24 years at the Anchorage VA, Patty felt privileged to serve our veterans. Her patients adored her, and her colleagues respected her.

Married 39 years, Patty and Bob were best friends, soulmates and shared a complete love. They were not a couple, they were one. At 68, they still held hands while walking in public. Patty and Bob came to Alaska in August 1987, as deck passengers on the Alaska Ferry. They were south of Juneau when they shared the Northern Lights for the first time. They had many great adventures in Alaska, and traveled the world. Lovers of nature, their favorite trip was to Africa. They always appreciated how lucky they were to share such extraordinary things together, and most important how lucky they were to have each other. They often reminded each other that the main reason they were lucky is that they knew they were lucky. They hugged and said I love you many times a day. Strong and tenacious, Patty was fun, young at heart, kind, compassionate, forgiving and never had a mean-spirited moment in her life. Patty Parr's life was a life truly and fully well-lived.