Carol Elaine (Patterson) Ohrtman, 75, passed away at her home, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. Carol was born March 20, 1950, to Gladys and Francis “Pat” Patterson in Morris, Ill.
Prior to moving to Lewiston, Carol spent several culturally meaningful years with her parents and younger sister Dale (Mrs. John Groenendyk, of Soldotna, Alaska) living on the Arizona/Mexican border near Bisbee, Ariz. Her father wanted to return to Lewiston where he had lived at Spalding Hall when he was in the Civilian Conservation Corps. With a housing shortage in Lewiston, Pat offered to fix up the garage of what became the Lewis-Clark State College Carriage House, Carol sleeping on the sun porch. From there, Carol’s family moved to one of the original homes in the Orchards on the corner of Sixth and Warner.
Carol attended Warner Elementary and Sacajawea Junior High School, graduating from Lewiston High School in 1968. Her counselor advised that LC was her fit because of her “economic and social status.” She faced a new challenge when her college advisor refused to sign her chemistry major form because “women can’t be scientists.” Changing her major at LCNS (now LCSC) to English turned out to be a minor event. Carol was the first person Dennis (the major event) met on his first day on campus. She was repairing books at the library.
Carol married her Spanish professor a few months after he asked her to help chaperone the Valentine’s Dance. Both she and Dennis announced to their parents the next day that they were getting married. It was a done-assumed-deal as Dennis never did have the courage nor verbal ability to ask Carol to marry him. It might have been fear of possible rejection. They were married Aug. 20, 1970, at Trinity Lutheran in Spanish. Relatives were never sure they were married because they doubted God understood Spanish. With God monolingual or multilingual, Dennis and Carol welcomed to their 55-year union three children: Loralee Ohrtman (LCSC chemist); Heather Ohrtman-Rogers (Jenifer Middle School teacher) both of Clarkston and Pastor Eric (Krista) of Sioux Falls, S.D.; five grandchildren: Niesha Rutledge, of Clarkston; Drake and Patrick Ohrtman-Rogers, of Clarkston, Jonah and Elsa Ohrtman, of Sioux Falls; and three greats: James Davis; Scarlett and Aspen Rutledge, of Clarkston.
Carol was the family brain power, muscle and stability. Carol and Dennis shared a work ethic. She worked four part-time jobs to top Dennis’ salary until she began teaching. She even detasseled corn in Iowa to keep Dennis in grad school. When building their home, Carol carried shingles to the top of the 32-foot roof. Carol took the parenting role seriously, including cooking, cleaning, cheering and instruction. Education remained a constant for Carol, who received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Idaho; master’s from WSU, and Ph.D. from the U of I. Dr. Ohrtman was a National Board Certified teacher who also enjoyed participating in and teaching for the Northwest Inland Writing Project. She taught nearly four decades at Sacajawea Junior High (reading and English) and Lewiston High School (reading, senior English, AP English and mythology). Chemist, turned English teacher, she cultivated a love for British literature and writing with the goal of transferring knowledge and empowering others with the tools of good learning. What she did behind the scenes allowed Dennis to live a public life. She did support and try to train him.
In retirement she returned to the art of book repair at the Lewiston Library. Like her mother, she fed everyone she possibly could. Carol practiced quiet philanthropy toward the Lewiston Library Foundation, Valley Meals on Wheels (50-year driver), church work at Trinity and Our Savior’s Lutheran churches, Liberty Theater Preservation, Nez Perce County Museum and the Lewiston Civic Theater costume room. Carol loved her trips to the Midwest, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents and sons-in-law Rodney Rogers and Craig Groseclose.
Services are planned for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Our Savior’s Lutheran, 1115 13th St., Clarkston. Gratitude goes to physicians Kendrick, Fore, Brady and Davis. Recent thanks to Samaritan Health in Lincoln City, Ore.; St Joseph’s, Life Flight, Deaconess, Cascadia of Lewiston, Ascend Hospice and Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home.
Feel free to join the Ohrtmans in their continued support of the Lewiston Library Foundation, P.O. Box 1055, Lewiston; Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 1711, Lewiston; Liberty Theater, P.O. Box 1823; LCSC Alumni scholarships, 500 Eighth Ave., Lewiston; Our Savior’s Lutheran; University of Idaho College of Education scholarships, 921 Campus Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844; Nez Perce County Historical Society, 45 Third St., Lewiston, and Lewiston Civic Theatre, 832 Main St., Lewiston. As the greatest honor to the Ohrtmans, embrace your partners, even if life changes for you — like a grandma trying to work her way up to kiss grandpa with a wise grandson at her side saying: “Grandma do you need help?”
Service Information
- Date & Time
- Saturday, November 15, 10:00 AM
- Location
-
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
1115 13th Street
Clarkston, Washington 99403
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