Patricia Horvatich

January 17, 1962 - April 23, 2016

Obituary For Patricia Horvatich

Patricia Ellen Horvatich of Raleigh North Carolina passed away on April 23 at the age of 54 after a 14 month battle with melanoma. Ticia was born in Pasadena California. She graduated from Lewis and Clark College where she met and “married” her partner Robyn 32 years ago. She received a PhD in Anthropology from Stanford University. After discovering that teaching was not her thing she took over as office manager at Robyn’s OB/GYN practice in Kona Hawaii for ten years. Upon moving to Raleigh she earned her master’s in health administration from UNC where she worked as a business analyst. Most recently she was a practice manager for Highgate Pediatrics in Durham.

Ticia loved life and lived it to the fullest. She travelled extensively including Indonesia and the Phillipines where she did her PhD dissertational studies which resulted in her coedited book Islam in the Era of Nation States. Ticia enjoyed her work, her family, her loving neighbors of Barton’s Creek Overlook, and especially her pets and her backyard chickens.

She is survived by her wife Robyn Cook of Raleigh and their two children Katherine Cook and Ryan Cook also of Raleigh. She is survived by her mother Theresa Horvatich Suomi, her sister Susan Horvatich, her brother Jim Horvatich, and her brother Bill Horvatich all of Arizona. She is survived by her sister in law Lucy Horvatich of Duluth Minnesota and her nephews Andrew and Craig Horvatich of Oregon. Ticia is predeceased by her father Andrew Horvatich of Pheonix Arizona and her brother Ricky Horvatich of Duluth Minnesota.

Patricia’s family is ever grateful to the UNC Cancer hospital, Dr Carrie Lee, nurse Paula Landman and Dr Kim Kylstra for their excellent care. We also would like to thank all the researchers of the exciting new cancer medications including genetic therapies and immune therapies recently FDA approved for melanoma. These gave her 14 more months to spend time with family and travel to visit friends while causing few side effects. Thank you for this special time!

A memorial service will take place at Good Shephard Lutheran Church at 7000 Creedmoor road in Raleigh on Sunday afternoon May 29th with reception to follow. Time yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Melanoma Foundation.

Services

29 May

Memorial Service

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 7000 Creedmoor Road RALEIGH, NC 27613 Get Directions »

by Obituary Assistant

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Condolences

February 09, 2022

Leanne Teves
September 01, 2020

Carmencita Archila

Lit a candle in memory of Patricia Horvatich
September 01, 2020

Anita Hill

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September 01, 2020

Fanchon Leath

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September 01, 2020

Carmencita Archila

Lit a candle in memory of Patricia Horvatich
September 01, 2020

Christy Blalock

Lit a candle in memory of Patricia Horvatich
September 01, 2020

Valissa W. Smith

Lit a candle in memory of Patricia Horvatich
September 01, 2020

Tom & Carmelita

A smile can reveal the shape of the soul. Ticia's smile beamed with inner beauty. I remember when Carmelita and I felt like nervous wrecks at Hocking Hills. Sudden rain had ruined a picnic and we loaded two dogs into Ticia's van. Her grace and good humor in the face of canine car sickness kept us from dying of embarrassment. Later, when the dogs escaped from our tent and got arrested, the whole thing seemed an adventure to her. We somehow managed to follow Ticia's lead and enjoy it all.
September 01, 2020

Evie Blackwood

Taken too soon! I will really miss Ticia, such a warm, generous person and brilliant scholar. Even though we didn't see each other much over the last 20 years, we shared some good times together at Stanford, at SEASSI in Honolulu, and in Kona, HI. I'm so glad we reconnected in the last couple years and got to spent some time together with Ticia, Ryan, and Robyn. I have no clever words for how to move forward but I am so happy to have had Ticia in my life.
September 01, 2020

Susanne Kahler

I remember most the crazy summer in Portland that we shared our first "real life" apartment together with absolutely no furniture. We fashioned piles of comforters into "mattresses" and turned an old cardboard box upside down into a dining room table. It got to be 114 degrees one day and we spent that night in the pool as we didn't have A/C. But we had a blast all the same. I wish I had known you were living in Hawaii for a time because I was there also and maybe we could have connected. At least, thanks to FB, we finally got back in touch. I will miss your spark and joie de vivre. Susanne
September 01, 2020

Carmencita Archila

Deeply saddened by the passing of such a wonderful human being. May you rest in peace.
September 01, 2020

Yvette D Mitchell

Lit a candle in memory of Patricia Horvatich
September 01, 2020

Carmencita Archila

Lit a candle in memory of Patricia Horvatich