Patrick K. Day

Patrick Kevin Day, cherished son, brother, father, and friend, passed away peacefully in the arms of his family on April 22, 2026 at his home in Lake McMurray, Washington after a five-year shootout with glioblastoma. Pat was born November 15, 1964 in Harrogate, England while his father, Dennis, served in the US Army. Shortly after his birth, the family returned to their home in Washington state where Dennis began working at the Everett Boeing plant, helping implement the rollout of the 747 jumbo jet, the giant airplane Pat would later dream of flying and would ultimately captain.

Pat’s childhood was spent in Woodinville, Washington where he grew up with two younger sisters, Catherine and Christina. Always fascinated with anything mechanical, Pat spent hours as a boy running his toy trains, trucks and planes, building forts and treehouses, tinkering with his bicycle or skateboard, and taking breaks only to pester his sisters. And while the trucks, trains and toy airplanes were entertaining, what he loved above all else were cars. All the cars. Finally old enough at age fourteen to buy one with money he earned from his neighborhood paper route, he purchased a bright red 1970 Chevy Nova which became the start of a long line of autos and a lifelong hobby that brought him tremendous joy. As an adult he eagerly cruised the website bringatrailer.com and found particular pleasure in finding deals on cars he knew he could repair and flip. When he had time off from flying he enjoyed taking his older cars, especially his original ‘61 VW Bug to local “Cars and Coffee” gatherings in the Shoreline, WA area where he had many friends and enjoyed making new ones. Among his first acquisitions from high school is a beloved little yellow 1972 Toyota Celica ST, so special to him that it remains in the family to this day.

Pat attended Bothell High School, class of 1983, and after graduation he worked construction in King and Snohomish counties while he pursued his love of aviation. Within five years he became a private pilot, purchased his first airplane, a tiny little Cessna 120, became a certified flight instructor, and began the arduous journey of building flight time toward his dream of being an airline pilot. Always keen on sharing his passions with loved ones, two of his first flight students were his father and his sister, Cathie.

By 1989, as his network and experience expanded, more opportunities to fly presented themselves in Alaska, and Pat spent the next decade flying up north, first as a bush pilot out of Bethel, and then for several airlines, including Western Pacific and Northern Air Cargo, both based out of Anchorage. Finally, in 1999, he was hired by Cathay Pacific Airlines to train in and fly the “Queen of the Skies.” For four years he flew 747 freighters between Anchorage and Asia until 2003 when he was assigned to the 747-400, flying passengers out of Hong Kong. He and his wife Gretchen moved the growing family to Hong Kong, where they would live for over a decade on picturesque Lantau Island in a town called Mui Wo, before the kids, missing their Alaskan home, moved back with their mom while Pat kept an apartment and commuted. In 2012, he advanced to the rank of captain, and was flying the Boeing 777s in 2021 when glioblastoma struck. During his twenty-two years of flying with the Hong Kong community, Pat developed deep and enduring friendships with his fellow crew members. His boyish sense of adventure, carefree generosity, and love of life endeared him to many and he was, in their words, "beloved at Cathay.”

Living fast and furious at 600 mph is adventuresome and dynamic, but Pat’s favorite part of life was when he could slow down and be with family and friends. During flight furloughs he loved nothing better than to visit his children, watch a football game with his dad, tinker with a motorcycle in his sister’s driveway, or drop in to BS with his buddies at Paine Field. Sixty-one years is not a long life, but Pat's life was a full one; he sailed the seas, flew the skies, and toured the roads. He loved deeply, was in turn deeply loved, and never stopped finding a reason to laugh. He will be missed beyond words by his family.

Pat is preceded in death by his father, Dennis Michael Day and his mother, Barbara Ann Day. He leaves behind two sisters, Catherine Day and Christina (Ryan) Olson-Day; six amazing children, Jessica Nelson, Christopher Day, Madeleine Day, Claire (Aidan) Murphy, Zachary Day and Matthias Andres Day; two adorable grandchildren, Cillian and Maeve Murphy; nieces Lianne (Nate) Bradshaw, and Charlotte and Susannah Olson-Day; nephew David Coppin-Lanegan; stepmom Terri Day, stepbrother Clay Collins and stepsister Darcie Rust.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Ellensburg. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.johnston-williams.com