Jenny Patch

Jenny Lynn Petersen Baker Patch (a.k.a. just Patch) died June 2, 2023 from a well fought battle with cancer. Jenny was the widow of John Russell Smith (12/20/2015), her soulmate and husband of 32 years. They married on June 24, 1983.

She is survived by her son Phillip Preston Patch and predeceased by her son John Benjamin Smith.

She is predeceased by her father-in-law and mother-in-law, LD Waters and Kandy Waters, and survived by her close friend of 43 years, sister-in-law and the one who introduced her to her brother, Nan Waters Sherrill (Tony) and Lamar Waters Jr., brother-in-law.

She is also survived by her mother, Linda Baker Whorley (Bob), her father, Ted Baker, Sr. and her brothers, Ted Baker, Jr. (Sheryl) and Howard Baker (Angela).

Nicole Waters Mullins, her only niece, was very special to her as were her two nephews, Jay and Ben Baker.

Patch‘s family is huge and all inclusive as she was not one to claim "step" or "half" relatives or even "X-in-laws". She truly loved them all.

Patch attended Glenn Hills high school, Class of ’72 and started her medical career at University Hospital in Augusta, Ga the same year. Later on she attended the Medical College of Georgia and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Nuclear Medicine in 1983. Not one to do just one job, she was proficient at being an X-ray tech, Cath Lab tech and Ultrasound tech.

After the boys left home, Patch became a traveling med tech in 1993. She traveled for over a year before convincing Russell to join her on the road. They traveled the Lower 48 before accepting a temp position in Fairbanks, Alaska that changed the course of their lives. They bought a 3 acre lot on a mountain in 1998 and eventually built their home. Jenny was born in Augusta, Georgia but considered Fairbanks home. She retired in Sept. of 2018 from Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center for Alaska Natives as the radiology PACS administrator but the adventures continued. She sold everything she owned and visited Portugal, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Australia, South Africa, Morocco, Mexico, Romania (on accident) and Peru - mostly staying in hostels. Her ideal trip was to go from festival to festival, including the Download Festival in England, in search of new experiences and new friends. New friends became old friends. They were all good memories and destinations to revisit.

Patch tried to bring joy to every situation. She was the expert at rolling with whatever life had in store for her. She chose to be happy. Russ was her partner, anchor, organizer and straight man to her one-liners and jokes. She was a writer, speaker, comedian, watercolor artist, community leader, world traveler and inspiration.

New friends, old friends, coworkers and family will share stories of the Jenny Patch Experience forever.

In lieu of flowers we ask donations be made in her honor to the Breast Cancer Detection Center of Alaska, 1905 Cowles St., Fairbanks, Alaska 99701. https://bcdcofalaska.org/