Thresa Irene Pattee

On March 11th, our dear friend and daughter, Thresa Irene Pattee, passed on peacefully from the comfort of her home, after a valiant battle with osteosarcoma.

Thresa was born in Bozeman, MT on March 30, 1979, where she was raised and lived through high school and into college. In her 20’s, Thresa moved to Portland where she received a degree Cum Laude in Business & Finance and French from Portland State University. During this time, she moved to France to live and study abroad, a longtime dream made true. She began working for US Foods, a job that later inspired her move to San Francisco where she went on to get her MBA from San Francisco State University. 

During those years out West, Thresa came alive as she built her career, met incredible friends, and learned to live life to its fullest. She loved traveling and traveled throughout Europe and the US, but most of all, she loved Disneyland (and went several times). Thresa also loved the outdoors. Her favorites were spending the day out on the lake fishing, going for a hike in the mountains, downhill skiing; but really, she loved all things outdoors, especially in her beloved Montana home. 

Thresa was a smiling light that brought intellect and laughter into any room. She chased after her goals with a stubborn and fierce drive, and she always managed to achieve them. A colleague shared the following: “That was the thing about Thresa; not only did she have a razor-sharp mind, but she seemed to move effortlessly from one topic to another, a step ahead of most everyone else. You could put her on any topic or job, and she would shine. In that regard her intellect matched her personality.”

Thresa was equal parts high achiever and laid back outdoors woman. She was as comfortable shooting pool in a local bar as she was presenting to a board of directors or addressing a conference crowd. She was a force of nature and a powerhouse of a woman with a heart of gold. 

Thresa built an admirable career in sustainability.  She was an environmentalist that believed we can make broad change — and she did it. Thresa spent a large portion of her career working in sustainability with Healthcare Without Harm where she was a driving force behind many initiatives and became their Director of Sustainability.

As a 5th generation native Montanan, Thresa was proud of her Montana roots. Head out to the neighborhood near Monforton School and you’ll find Pattee Trail, a street named after her mother who spent 25 years as a teacher, then principal, and later superintendent of the school district. During her years out west, Thresa always dreamed of returning to her home in Montana. After 15 years of living in Portland and San Francisco, she returned to Bozeman where she bought a home and built the next chapter of her life. 

Thresa was an inspiration, pure and simple. She was kind with every cell of her being. She believed in and saw the good in people and would help anyone she could. She was hilarious, witty, and wicked smart. She was also very talented at pool and played in various city leagues. 

Thresa was full of love and shared it openly. She was an incredible friend to all who knew her. She will be missed by all who had the opportunity to have her in their lives. 

Thresa is survived by her mother and stepfather, Kathy and Skip Foster of Las Vegas, her stepbrother Brad Foster, her father, and stepmother; Dave and Marilyn Pattee of Harrison, MT, and her beloved cats Fitz and Fiona. 

There will be a Celebration of Life held in Bozeman in May. If you would like to come celebrate with us, please email Shahar at shaharcabbage@gmail.com for more information and to RSVP. We would love to celebrate with those who were touched by her and want to celebrate her spirit. 

Condolences may be sent to:

Kathy Foster 

8500 Carmel Ridge Court

Las Vegas NV 89113

Donations may be made in her honor to the Cancer Support Community Montana—www.cancersupportmontana.org—102 South 11th Ave. Bozeman, MT 59715