Mary Pat Larsen
March 17, 1944 - May 11, 2025
Mary Patricia (Goldstone) Larsen, born March 17, 1944, in Everett, Washington, to Herbert Eugene and Helen Ann (Shaffer) Goldstone, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2025.
Mary Pat attended the University of Washington, where she studied mathematics and Slavic languages. During a study abroad program in Yugoslavia, she became proficient in Serbo-Croatian—one of five non-English languages she would learn—and formed international friendships that lasted throughout her life.
While abroad, she corresponded with Lawrence Harold Larsen, a professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Oceanography. They married soon after and made Seattle their home, where Larry taught and Mary Pat balanced work with raising their children.
As her children grew, Mary Pat earned a master’s degree in Biostatistics and worked for King County’s Department of Emergency Services, contributing to studies on heart attack survival rates based on emergency response times.
Larry and Mary Pat traveled extensively for academic exchanges, including a year living in Perth, Australia, and an early academic visit to China in the 1980s. They maintained friendships with colleagues worldwide. Mary Pat loved having dinner gatherings—guests might wait for their meal, but as friends noted, it was always worth it. She loved cooking and recipes, and she didn’t shy away from culinary challenges.
Upon retirement, the couple moved to Concrete, WA, where they actively served on the local library board and participated in environmental preservation efforts. Mary Pat found joy in hiking local trails, tending her large garden, and preserving homegrown food.
She embraced grandmotherhood with the same dedication she brought to motherhood. When faced with early dementia, she lived independently in her rural home as long as possible before transitioning to assisted living with characteristic courage. There, she developed meaningful friendships with residents and staff, participated enthusiastically in activities, and found comfort in faith. In her last years she was cared for lovingly by staff of Ciel of Wenatchee.
Mary Pat was preceded in death by her parents and husband Larry. She is survived by her daughter Karen (Jin), son Per (Shannon), grandchildren Ethan, Emmanuel, Bryce, and Ryan, and siblings Kay Webb, Philip Goldstone, and John Goldstone.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Nature Conservancy, honoring Mary Pat’s lifelong love of natural spaces. A memorial service is planned for early September.