Patty Rudolph Fligsten passed away peacefully at her home in Santa Barbara on Tuesday, Jan. 16.  She was surrounded by her close family.

Patty was born on September 27, 1941 to Harvey and Helen Rudolph in Santa Barbara.  Her younger years were spent exploring the neighborhood, playing at the YMCA, and swimming in the ocean.  She attended Roosevelt Elementary School and La Cumbre Junior High School.  She moved on to Santa Barbara High School, where she was a cheerleader and participated in a cappella choir.  After she graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1961, she went on to study at UCSB for a year, and then at UCLA, where she met the love of her life, Monte Fligsten.  During college, she joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority where she established many deep, life-long friendships.   Patty was a counselor at UCLA's UniCamp, a camp for underprivileged youth from Los Angeles.  After graduation, she taught for two years at Castelar Ave. Elementary in China Town, Los Angeles while Monte was getting his JD and MBA .  Monte and Patty got married  in 1963 at the Unitarian Church on Santa Barbara Street, and had their wedding reception in Helen and Harvey's back yard.  

Monte and Patty moved to Thousand Oaks, and later to Tarzana, where they raised their two daughters, Lauren and Kim.  Patty was a great mom, shuttling Lauren and Kimmy to diving, gymnastics, swimming, t-ball, soccer, Brownies and school.  Patty was an avid volunteer, working as the administrative coordinator for the Volunteer League of the San Fernando Valley, singing with the Troopers, and also volunteering with the Assistance League of Southern California.  She made it her mission to improve the lives of others. Despite the busy schedule, Patty still found time to keep up with her favorite hobbies.  She was a passionate seamstress, sewing many clothes, quilts and Halloween costumes for Lauren and Kimmy.  She enjoyed arts and crafts, delving into activities like furniture refinishing, gardening, antiquing, wall papering, decorating, stained and fused glass making, reading, cooking, shell collecting and gingerbread house making. 

In 1994, Patty and Monte bought a share in a townhouse on East Beach, where they had a trial run at becoming full time Santa Barbarians.  They decided it was the right fit, and moved to Santa Barbara full time in 1998, when they bought their 120 year old dream fixer upper.  They created a beautiful home which has been a gathering place for many wonderful family meals and holiday parties, and even Lauren and Rick's wedding reception.  In Santa Barbara, Patty joined the Assistance League of Santa Barbara where she worked in the Assistance League Thrift Shop and sang incredible harmonies with the Ukulele Lulus.

Patty was a wonderful grandmother to her 4 grandchildren.  She and Monte enjoyed watching their grandchildren's many soccer and baseball games and musical performances.  Patty also enjoyed swimming, gardening, road trips with Monte, and collecting shells and rocks during low tides on the beach.  After Monte's retirement, they traveled the world with various groups of friends and family, where she added to her collection of beautiful sands from around the world.

From a cappella choir in high school, to UCLA Spring Sing with the "TenUvEm," to singing at UniCamp campfires, to Troopers in the San Fernando Valley, to finding music, writing chords and teaching newcomers for 15 years in Ukulele Lulus with the Assistance League of Santa Barbara,  Patty loved to sing and could harmonize with every song she ever heard.  

We will miss Patty greatly.

Patty is survived by her husband, Monte, and daughters, Lauren Rodriguez (Rick Rodriguez) and Kim Carlson (Mike Carlson),  and grandchildren CJ and Becca Rodriguez and Georgia and Jake Carlson.   The family requests that in lieu of flowers, you share a memory you have of Patty on this website, or donate to VNA Visiting Nurses or Alzheimer's Research.  

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