Pat Lusvardi: A Life Sketch

Patricia Jay Langley Lusvardi, born 19 September 1933, was the cherished daughter of Ruby Marion Rainey Langley and Jay Walker Langley. After years of longing to become parents, Ruby and Jay were blessed to adopt Pat, and she became the joy of their lives.

When Pat was 5, her father passed away. Together, she and her mother moved all over California, as her mother worked as a cook and a housekeeper, and Pat attended over a dozen schools. Her humor, confidence, and charisma won her devoted friends everywhere she went.  Many of those friendships she cultivated throughout her life. One of her great joys was staying in touch with her girlhood friends from Pasadena. Later in life they met together every year, and named their group “The Little Old Ladies of Pasadena”.

Pat met her husband, Reuben Alcedi Lusvardi on her first day of work at a Ralph’s supermarket in Arcadia, California. They became close friends, and later fell in love. They married in Pasadena in her mother’s home on June 23, 1953.

After two years of military service and moving all over the country, they returned to their native California, moved into their first house, and started to grow their family. In 1957 their first son Mark was born, and was followed 5 years later with a second son, David.  The family moved several times, but stuck to their roots and remained in California.

The friendship that began in Ralph’s supermarket, lasted over 60 years. From it has come 2 children, 8 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. Pat has served her family immeasurably over the years as a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

One of the great challenges of Pat’s life was her struggle with her physical health. At the age of 13, she contracted rheumatic fever. The illness weakened her greatly and kept her out of school for a year. After returning to school, there were concerns that she would not be able to keep up with her classmates. She was required to take an assessment test, and did so well that it was recommended she skip ahead two grades.

Although Pat’s sharp mind was not inhibited by her illness, for the rest of her life she suffered an array of health problems that stemmed from this early episode. Tenacious as she was, Pat did not allow these difficulties to keep her from seeing the world. She and Reuben traveled Europe several times, along with Russia, Iceland, Canada, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean.

With this same determination she taught herself many skills that she was not fortunate enough to be exposed to earlier in life. She taught herself how to play the piano by ear and compose music and lyrics. She also cultivated a great gift for singing and writing poetry.  

Pat was proud of her pioneer heritage and for over 50 years was an active member serving in leadership positions of the organization “Daughter of the Utah Pioneers”.

She was a devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and all her life served faithfully helping her fellow church members and many others in her community.

After struggling for over 60 years with her health, Pat passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 18, 2014 in Placerville, California. Her family and many dear friends will miss her cheerful telephone calls, thoughtful cards, and genuine words of love and encouragement.