Patrick Ben Clenens

Patrick Ben Clemens passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 and went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Patrick was born on June 7, 1944 to his parents Arthur and Eleanor Clemens in Monterey, California. Patrick and his family moved to Santa Barbara when he was only 5 years old, and he has remained a member of this community ever since. When he first moved here, Santa Barbara was a small town. They resided on the Mesa, which at the time was farmlands. In fact, Pat’s father built the first grocery store in town when Pat was a small child. Pat attended and graduated from San Marcos High School in 1962. One summer in high school he went to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp in Estes Park, Colorado, where he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Pat went on to attend Westmont College, and graduated in 1966 with a degree in business and economics. He was an avid athlete who won many awards as a varsity basketball and baseball player in both high school and college. From age 7 on Pat became an avid UCLA basketball and Dodger baseball fan — a fandom he went on to share with his entire family. He also enjoyed fishing and had many fond memories going on fishing trips in the Lake of the Woods with his family. During high school Pat signed up for ROTC, and following graduation from Westmont College began active service in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam war and served honorably between June 12, 1966 and March 11, 1969. During his service, Pat married Joy Catherwood Strandberg on June 29, 1968. The couple met while they attended Westmont College together. They had two children Christy and Matthew. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, they moved to Santa Barbara, where Pat worked at Sentry Insurance. Shortly after, they moved to Oxnard and then Buena Park, California, where he opened and managed both local franchises of the Swiss Colony store. In September 1975 Pat bought a lapidary store which is now well known as Patco Jewelry in Santa Barbara. For almost 50 years he owned and operated this store, where he spent countless hours with his beloved customers and employees building a business, which has been a treasure of the Santa Barbara community. In 2023 Pat was awarded one of the year’s “Local Heroes” by the Santa Barbara Independent, an honor of which he was very proud. Last year he celebrated his 80th birthday and was surrounded by family, friends and customers at the Patco Jewelry store. The event is a precious memory that was very meaningful to him. Due to the progression of his degenerative muscle disease, Pat was confined to his electric wheelchair, where he proudly displayed an American flag attached to the top. Despite the challenges his disease presented, Pat always displayed an attitude of contentment and rarely complained, an attribute that was noticed and respected by all that knew him. Pat was generous with his time, service and his finances. He constantly went out of his way to help those in need and volunteered his time serving coffee at El Montecito Presbyterian Church, where he was a member for many years. Pat valued family, friends and community above all else, and his passing has left an immense hole in the hearts of all the people who have known and loved him. Despite the sadness and pain present due to his passing, we take comfort in the fact that he is in heaven, and free from the earthly burdens of his physical ailments. Pat is survived in death by his wife Joy Strandberg Clemens; daughter Christy De Los Rios; son Matthew Clemens; daughter-in-law Pamela Clemens; grandchildren Chelsie Clemens, Dominik De Los Rios, Danika De Los Rios, and Cameron Clemens; brothers Michael Clemens and Chris Clemens; and sister Cathy Atkinson. He is further survived by countless other relatives and friends. Pat is preceded in death by his father Arthur Clemens and mother Eleanor Clemens. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in Pat’s name to either the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, or Network Medical, three of the countless charities he faithfully supported during his life.

Patrick Ben Clenens

June 7, 1944 - February 11, 2025