Obituary of Patricia Culbertson Merikallio

Patricia passed away on April 9, 2024, in Santa Cruz, California, at the age of 94. She went peacefully in her sleep with her family by her side. Born in Buffalo, New York, on March 22, 1930, Pat attended elementary school in Buffalo and graduated from high school at St. Anne’s School in Charlottesville, Virginia. She studied art and fashion design at Wellesley College and Parsons School of Design, where she made many lifelong friends, and she remained in contact with them through the years. She worked as a fashion designer in New York City, where she met her husband, Reino Merikallio. Ray’s work at IBM took them from New York to Maryland and finally to Connecticut, where they lived in a 1740s farmhouse which they renovated themselves. After spending her first 75 years in New England, Pat moved to California to be closer to family and get a break from shoveling snow in the winters. She quickly made friends through her favorite art form, rug hooking. Pat was recognized many times for her inventive designs and bold use of color in her rugs, appearing in the pages of Rug Hooking magazine and American Craft magazine, and she took top honors in numerous juried shows. She loved making rugs for her friends and family to commemorate important life events or to capture family members both two- and four-footed. She always valued the friendship, support, and laughter of her fellow hookers. Pat followed current events, kept up with friends through social media, and still loved reading all the books on the New York Times bestseller list. She loved her home in Capitola and the new friends she made when she moved to Aegis retirement community last year. She celebrated her 94th birthday a few weeks ago, but the years finally caught up to her heart. Pat is remembered for her sense of humor, her creative mind, her brilliant smile, her positivity, and her love for her family and friends. Pat is survived by her children Bill (Cathy), Kirsti (Matt), and Phyllis, and her grandchildren Alex, Ben, Katie, Sam, Jack, Max, and Lizzy. She was preceded in death by her husband, Reino and her sister, Phyllis. In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to your local animal rescue shelter in honor of Pat’s love of animals.