Dec 3, 2018

Kim Joanne Patterson, 61, of Canonsburg, died Sunday, December 2, 2018, after a long and valiant battle with cancer.

She was born January 26, 1957, in Washington, a daughter of Joseph and Sylvia Rodighiero DeFilippo.

Kim was a member of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Canonsburg.

A woman of strength, courage, determination and unwavering fearlessness, Kim faced her diagnosis head on and was determined to beat the odds. She did just that and, when given six months to survive, Kim chose to live for six years.

Kim was an amazing artist. She traveled to many places, spent time with her family and, most of all, loved and adored the two lights of her life, her grandchildren, Bella and Brian.

Kim’s passion for her work was unmatched. She began her career as a secretary and medical transcriptionist at Canonsburg Hospital, where she worked for 17 years. However, she found her voice representing others for what is right and just. Kim went on to become a longtime activist and leader of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, the largest health care union in the Commonwealth.

Kim’s drive and focus are what allowed her to rise through the ranks, as she went on to hold positions including district vice president, executive vice president and lastly secretary/treasurer, the second ranking officer of the statewide union. Even after Kim’s diagnosis in 2012, she continued to work for SEIU, as she believed with all her heart this work was too important to walk away from. In 2016, after 38 years as a member and leader of the union, Kim was forced to retire so she could focus on her family and fighting her illness, which would become the final battle of her life.

She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph A. DeFilippo, and a sister, Ianne DeFilippo.

Surviving, in addition to her mother, are son and daughter-in-law Brian and Gia Patterson; son and daughter-in-law Chris and Angel Patterson; her cherished grandchildren, Isabella and Brian A. Patterson; her companion, James Batch Jr.; a brother, Joseph M. (Vanessa) DeFilippo; a sister, Amanda Butler; and several nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Sollon Funeral and Cremation Services Ltd., 30 East College Street, Canonsburg, Phillip L. Sollon, supervisor, J. David Sollon, director, 724-746-1000, where departing prayers will be recited at 9:30 a.m. Friday, December 7. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10 a.m. in St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church. Interment will follow in St. Patrick Cemetery, Canonsburg.

The family kindly suggests memorial contributions be made in Kim Patterson’s name to National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, www.npcf.org, or American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.

To leave condolences, visit www.sollon.com.