Patricia Ann Harrison

Patricia Ann Harrison, a journalist and artist, died June 1, 2025, when a car struck her on her morning walk as she was using a crosswalk six blocks from her home in Astoria. She was 77.

She loved living fully and authentically, and her art, her travels with her longtime partner Beth, and her morning coffee on the back porch with her wild birds all gave her great joy. Until the day she died, she did pushups five days a week. She was born Aug. 25, 1947, in Berkeley, Calif., to Merle Frances Chapin and John Harrison. She married Beth Eby, on Sept. 2, 2018, in their Astoria living room. She earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from San Francisco State University and a master’s in journalism from California State University at Fullerton. Her resume included being city editor at the Reno Gazette-Journal. Afterward, she spent much of her career at The Oregonian in Portland, where she was the editor of the Commentary section. Her adventures included summiting Mount Rainier, hikes beyond count, travel to Cuba, and multiple trips to Oaxaca, Mexico. She fell in love with Rome. After retiring, Pat returned to her artistic roots, producing many fantastic urban sketches and watercolors. She loved visiting independent coffee shops, often with her sketchbook, and was a friend to baristas everywhere. She volunteered with the naturalists at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach when the puffins were there, and at the Food Bank in Astoria. In addition to Beth, Pat is survived by her brother, Michael Harrison of La Pine, and several nieces. 

Donations can be sent to the North Coast Land Conservancy or the Bird Alliance of Oregon. Or just give a barista a generous tip and a nice smile.