"I was so blessed by this amazing woman?s friendship. Her light burned so brightly and so strong. It is unfathomable to imagine it not being in this world, so I will keep it burning forever in my heart. I love you and miss you, my Chin. "
In loving memory of
Patricia Anne (Laurel) Menaker
August 19, 1953 - June 20, 2021
Patricia Anne Menaker, 67, passed away on Father's Day, June 20th, 2021, surrounded by her loving family, after a yearlong battle with cancer.
On August 19, 1953, Pat was born in El Paso, Texas, to parents Louis and Helen Laurel. She moved with her family to Phoenix, AZ, in 1966, where she graduated from Maryvale High School in 1971.
After high school, Pat worked in the corporate offices of Ramada Inn, Inc. in Phoenix, before moving to Tucson in the late '70s.
In Tucson, she and then husband Fred Bull started a family and raised two beautiful daughters, Lyndsey and Morgan, the pride of Pat's life. While in Tucson, she worked as the Merchandising Director for Up With People. Later she worked for Sporting Chance, Inc., organizing youth basketball leagues and tournaments throughout southern Arizona. Then she worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona in the Sales and Marketing Department of their Tucson office. While living in Tucson, she became an avid University of Arizona Wildcat fan, and remained so even after moving back to Sun Devil Country!
Pat grew up around Barbershop singing, as her father, Lou Laurel, was deeply involved in quartet and chorus singing and directing choruses in El Paso and later in Phoenix to the International Barbershop Harmony Society Chorus Championships.
Pat passionately loved being part of her extended "Barbershop family" and enjoyed attending shows, contests and conventions around the country. At one of these contests, she met her soul mate, Rob Menaker, who lived in Gardena, CA. Destiny brought them together, as Rob was an avid Barbershopper and tenor in two International Championship Quartets ("Nightlife" and "Masterpiece"). Pat moved to California, and they were married in 2005 in a beautifully unique wedding and reception on an elegant boat cruising the bay at Newport Beach, California.
In 2016, they moved to Phoenix, where Pat retired and Rob went to work for Pure Flix, a division of Sony Entertainment.
Pat was always known as "the life of the party." If you were to look up the definition of "fun personality" in the dictionary, you would see Pat's picture. Because of her energy level, sense of humor, engaging personality, and creative mind, she was everybody's friend.
She was a "party organizer extraordinaire," and life was never dull when you were around her! She is known among her family and friends for creating unique games as entertainment at their parties and "Photo Booths" for everyone to have a treasured memory of that particular get together. People eagerly participated in her games/contests, in anxious anticipation of winning a cherished prize that she spent hours shopping for (average value of about $2.47).
Pat and Rob enjoyed traveling, especially their yearly visits to their beachside resort in Cabo San Lucas, MX to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Their trips each year coincided with Halloween, during which Pat enthusiastically handed out many pounds of candy to hundreds of excited, costumed local children.
Pat is survived by her loving husband of nearly 16 years, Rob Menaker; daughters Lyndsey Bull (Chris Springer) of Mountain Green, UT and Morgan Bull (Dave Vogt) of Tucson, AZ; grandson Wyatt Springer of Mountain Green, UT; sister Peggy Munoz (Tony) of El Paso, TX; and brothers Marty Laurel (Julie) of Phoenix, AZ and Mike Laurel (Terri) of Peoria, AZ; and former husband Fred Bull of Tucson, AZ. She is preceded in death by parents Louis and Helen (Barden) Laurel.
Grateful to have had Pat in their lives are her nieces and nephews: David Munoz (Lisa); Bryan Laurel (Jennifer); Debi Hicks (Bill); Jennifer Brownell (Paul); Leanne Kopras (Jarrid); and Christopher Laurel.
Also missing "Aunt Pat" are Lexi, Allie, William and Lily, plus dozens of cousins throughout the country known as "The Barden Clan."
A funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday, August 20 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 330 W Coral Gables Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85023.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Forever Loved Pet Sanctuary (https://www.foreverlovedpets.org/donate) where Rob volunteers and Morgan got her 'fur baby' or an organization that Lyndsey works closely with, POSO Dog Rescue (https://www.posodogrescue.com/).
Tributes
"Pat - was always smiling. Even perturbed - which was seldom - she was smiling. And what a great smile. As if to say well, how the heck are you and what stories to you have to share. She generally had stories to share back. I'll miss that smile. I'll miss her. Barbershop conventions will never be quite the same. My love to her family and to Rob. With her memory freshly in mind...John Miller"
"I first met Pat while attending Holiday Park grade school in Phoenix. We went through high school together, graduating in 1971 from Maryvale High School. Pat was always somebody special. Her smile and enthusiasm for life lit up a room whenever she entered it. We lost contact after graduation but had recently reconnected on Facebook. I was so looking forward to visiting with her at the reunion. We will meet again, RIP Pat. "