Patricia Ann (Brophy) Sine's Obituary
Patricia Ann (Brophy) Sine—our beloved, sweet, beautiful, and loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother—was blessed to have passed away peacefully on December 5th, 2025, in San Diego, CA, at age 92.
Patricia was born December 16th, 1933, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Thomas Edward and Alice Beatrice (Curtis) Brophy. In her early years during high school, she worked as a telephone operator for Northwestern Bell in Des Moines until she graduated from North High School in 1951. Upon graduation, she joined the Women in the Air Force (WAFs), and in 1952, while stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, CO, she met and married Ronald Patrick Sine, Sr. Thus, they became Pat & Pat, as many came to know them. Patricia was then assigned to Headquarters Flying Training, Waco, Texas, performing various technician and clerical jobs. Pat & Pat left military service and moved to his hometown in Salt Lake City, UT, to start a family. It was there they had six children and enjoyed 64 years of marriage before his passing in 2016. Patricia worked at the University of Utah, Personnel Office for over 20 years – in Benefits, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Compensation. She retired in 1996 as a senior compensation analyst.
In addition to her full-time job and raising her six children, our very talented and energetic mother, alongside our father, also found time to create countless art-and-craft decorations that adorned our lovely home on every special occasion. We will enjoy these special keepsakes that will forever remind us of them. She loved spending free time with her husband in their workshop, and they often crafted together with their best friends Neal and Marge. The four of them shared decades of fun together. They donated many of their Christmas masterpieces to the Festival of Trees, a benefit for children’s hospitals in Salt Lake City. Patricia was the source and glue for countless family gatherings each and every year—celebrating holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, witches’ luncheons, fiestas, and many weekend barbeques—all to keep her very large family gathered together living a full life.
Patricia knew how to enjoy life, and she made everything special. She was a devout Roman Catholic, attended church, and volunteered at St. Ann’s Catholic Church for nearly 70 years. She often credited her humble Irish-Catholic upbringing for giving her a lifelong perspective, love, and gratitude. She also cherished a lifelong sense of special Brophy humor with her siblings. Their boisterous laughter was infectious. Patricia’s remarkable work ethic, delightfully witty humor, and enormous loving spirit earned her respect and popularity wherever she went with whomever she met. She will be sorely missed and dearly remembered for having brought love and joy to many lives.
She is survived by Pamela Grundstrom (daughter), Ronald Sine, Jr. (son), Victoria Millward (daughter), Rebecca Ruocco (daughter), Sue Busing (sister), 9 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by husband Ronald, daughter Cynthia Gomer, son Douglas Sine, and brothers Edward “Skip” Brophy and Fr. Thomas Brophy. They are all now joyfully celebrating their reunion in God’s loving care.
The family is very grateful to the VA Medical Centers in both Salt Lake City, UT, and La Jolla, CA, for the excellent care they provided her. Special thanks also go to her private companions, Debora and Cyndi. Additional appreciation goes out to many caring staff members at the Silvergate Rancho Bernardo senior home, where she resided during the final years of her life, as well as to those at Lightbridge Hospice Care in her final months.
A Celebration of Life for both Pat & Pat will be held on Sunday, December 28th, starting at 2:00 pm at Neil O’Donnell & Sons Mortuary, 372 East 100 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 84111. Cheerful clothing is encouraged at this event, consistent with their life and the season.
A vigil/rosary service will be held on Monday, December 29th, at 10:00 am at St. Ann Catholic Church, 450 East 2100 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84115. Funeral Mass will be held Monday, December 29th, at 11:00 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, followed by a committal service at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 4th Avenue & T Street.
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