Patrick Tomlinson

On Tuesday, August 11, 2015 we sadly lost our beloved son and brother, Patrick.  At just 33 years young he filled all of our hearts with enough love and laughter to last us our lifetimes.

Born on November 27, 1981 to Kenneth and Linda Tomlinson, Patrick was the baby of the family joining his siblings Jenny, Chris, Kelly and Casey.  His three older sisters looked after Patrick, worried about him, fussed over him, and loved him like they were all his mother.  And whether he always liked that or not, they always had his back.

Patrick was preceded in death by his brother Chris, a loss of which Patrick had never recovered.  We know that the long awaited reunion of these two brothers shook the heavens.

Patrick was more than just a son to Ken and Linda; he was a best friend to both of them.  Patrick was always a homebody and being at home hanging out with his parents was his favorite place to be.  Whether it was lying on his mom’s bed listening to music and talking about his day or staying up late watching movies with his dad, home was where his heart was.  Patrick was a compassionate person and he spent much of his time caring for and spending time with his mother and the health issues she battles.  They grew very close through the past few years as Patrick was always there to care for her and help with whatever she needed, whether it was cooking dinner, doing laundry, or combing her hair.  The loss of his daily presence and companionship will be irreplaceable in their lives.

Patrick was an animal lover to the bone and could never stand to see an animal in pain or in need.  He fostered kittens for an animal shelter and ended up adopting all three of them as he couldn’t bring himself to give them back.  They were like kids to Patrick and Tiger, Bubba and Annie are missing their dad tonight.  Patrick’s other love was for the movies.  He was a true movie buff and could quote line for line almost any scene you threw at him.  If you spent any time with Patrick, you would likely find yourself rolling in laughter from the impersonations and movie scenes he loved to impersonate.  His favorite pastime was to set out the snacks and put on a good movie.  He could watch his favorites over and over.  His room was filled with his favorite characters and memorabilia.

Patrick was at a very happy time in his life this past year as he had found the love of his life and soul mate, Katie Deboer, and they had begun to plan a future together.  Patrick had become very close to Katie, her daughter Zoe, and their family.  They were very special to him and the loss of him in their lives has left a painful void.  We all mourn the loss of the lifetime partnership that was cut short.

Patrick grew up in the Layton area and attended Layton High School.  He made many friends over his years spent there that were like brothers to him.  Some of Patrick’s favorite times were his summers spent up at our family cabin in the Uinta Mountains with his extended family and cousins.  The memories made there and the friendship that followed with his cousin, Brady, were some of his happiest.  Patrick was currently employed at Kohls department store in Clinton.  He would often talk about the many good people he worked with and the fun times they would have.  Patrick would often have his paychecks spent before he got them buying gifts for family members and especially his nephew, Monroe.  Patrick loved being an uncle to little Monroe and spoiled him at every chance he got.  We got to see a glimpse of the truly great father that Patrick would have been through his love for Monroe.  Patrick had two other nephews, Jacob and Jaxon Sherman, with whom he had a very close relationship.  Whenever the family got together you would find these three cracking each other up with their inside jokes and movie quotes.  He loved them dearly.  Patrick had two uncles, Marty Sherman and Eric Lippincott, who had become like brothers to him.  Marty would do anything for Patrick and had lended him a hand many a time over the years.  Patrick often said he admired Eric for the good father he was to Monroe.

Patrick is preceded in death by his father’s parents, George and Violet Tomlinson of Alamosa, Colorado, and their daughter Loretta Tomlinson; his mother’s parents, Wesley and Carma Mckinlay of Layton, Utah and their son Brian Mckinlay; his brother Christopher Tomlinson; and close friends, Justin and Skyler.  May they all be together again.

Patrick is survived by his parents, Ken and Linda Tomlinson of Clinton, Utah, sister Jenny (Marty, Jacob, Jaxon) Sherman of Clinton, Utah, sister Kelly Tomlinson, and sister Casey (Eric, Monroe) Lippincott, both of Salt Lake City, Utah.

If you knew Patrick, you loved him.  His charm, sense of humor and big heart were of the grandest scale.  His sense of humor was renowned and spending time with him meant laughter.  Patrick was incredibly smart and a quick learner and excelled at every job he had.  He was a very punctual person and he took his work commitments very seriously.  He was a people person and made close friends at every job he worked.  He had a curiosity for life and the world and could carry on conversations with anyone.  He had a strong character, a big heart and a whole lot of compassion.  He nurtured the people in his life and was adamant about showing it through thoughtful gifts or hugs and kisses. He was not afraid to say “I love you.”  His uniqueness and vitality are irreplaceable and a day will not pass that we won’t feel the loss of such a light in our lives.  We will miss your smile and laughter, Patrick.  It brightened our days.

Goonies never say die.

Please join us for a Celebration of Life for Patrick on Sunday, August 23, 2015 from 5 to 7 p.m. on the patio at Current Restaurant, 300 S 300 E, Salt Lake City.  Street parking is free.  Light food will be served.