Patrick Bruce Abernathy

Nov. 28, 1945-July 31, 2022

Patrick Bruce Abernathy, 76, beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and friend, graduated from mortality July 31, 2022, at his home in Pelican Hills, Green Valley, St. George, Utah, following terminal complications from an anoxic brain injury that resulted from respiratory failure in 2020.

Patrick was born Nov. 28, 1945, in Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, California, to Walter Wilson “Budge” Abernathy and Betty Geneva Moone, and was raised in the San Gabriel Valley. At age 16, he converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and at age 19, served a voluntary full-time mission for the Church in the Southern Far East Mission on the islands of Taiwan and Hong Kong, where he developed a love for the Chinese language, history, culture and people.

Following his faithful missionary service, which included responsibilities as assistant to Keith Garner, his mission president, he attended Columbia University in New York and Brigham Young University, Utah and Hawaii campuses, where he completed his undergraduate studies in the Chinese language and literature with a minor in economics.

He married Joyce Marie Jensen for eternity in the Los Angeles California Temple Nov. 26, 1969, after which they resided in Taiwan, where he earned a master’s degree in modern Chinese history at National Taiwan University and began employment in the finance industry in California. Thereafter, he was recruited to work for the U.S. government in Washington, D.C. Frequent travel and relocations marked his early career and family life as they welcomed four children into their family. From 1977 to 1992, Hong Kong became their permanent home and the place of many cherished family memories as he transitioned from government work to serving as a China expert for several multinational corporations.

Returning to the United States in 1992 to care for his then aging parents, Patrick settled his family in Bloomington, St. George, Utah, where he dutifully and lovingly spent time with and cared for his parents until their passing. He also developed new loves for barbershop music, family history research and service in the St. George Utah Temple. He enjoyed a great spirit of brotherhood with the Color Country Chorus and various quartets, and he generously gave of his time and talents to sing for many community and charitable events. Family history research and temple service were among his highest priorities, and he approached his nearly 10 years of temple service with much study and prayerful preparation to serve honorably in the House of the Lord.

In 2018, Patrick and JJ embarked on a new adventure together as missionaries called to the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission, where they served at the renowned Family History Library until 2021. He found great joy in serving the patrons of the Family History Library, and he treasured the camaraderie with those with whom he served. He helped many discover their roots, and he also became known as the “candy man of Temple Square” for generously sharing his endless supply of saltwater taffy.

Patrick possessed a keen intellect and the discipline to master anything he set his mind to learn or accomplish. He was widely regarded as a friend, mentor and example to many. Among his myriad pursuits and talents, Patrick was known for his diligence, expertise, thoroughness, perfectionism, good humor and good nature. Above all he prized was his family and his deep and abiding testimony of – and earnest devotion to – Jesus the Christ.

Patrick is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joyce Marie Jensen “JJ” Abernathy, of Green Valley; son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Janella Abernathy of Spanish Fork; son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Monica Abernathy of Austin, Texas; daughter and son-in-law, Holly and Joseph Infante of Layton, Utah; sister, Karen Berry, of Camarillo, California; half-brother, Donald Walter Abernathy, of Wooster, Ohio; and nieces, nephews and grandchildren: Celine, Chanel, Yale, India, Justin, Joshua, Emmanuelle, Christine, Joseph Israel and Elijah. He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Betty Abernathy, and his son, Yale Andrus Abernathy.

The family offers their deepest thanks to the following for the professional, gentle and caring way they attended to Patrick in his final months: Nurse Deb and the entire team at Zion’s Way Home Health & Hospice; LuAnn Lundquist and her team at Memory Matters; Dr. Bobby Niemann, neurologist with Vista Healthcare Specialists; and St. George Regional Hospital.

In Patrick’s memory, the family invites donations to FamilySearch, a nonprofit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations through record and document preservation and digitization. Click here to make contributions online or call 1-800-525-8074.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Aug. 13, at 1 p.m. at the Green Valley Stake Center, 511 South Valley View Drive, St. George, Utah. Visitations will be held Friday, Aug. 12, 6-8 p.m., at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd., and on Saturday, prior to services, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the stake center. Interment will be in the St. George City Cemetery located at 600 East Tabernacle St.

Services will be live-streamed. Visit the Metcalf Mortuary website where the link will be posted at the bottom of Patrick’s obituary.

Arrangements are under the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221. Visit the Metcalf Mortuary website for condolences, complete obituary and funeral listings.

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