Doctor Tre Lenehan
On July 23, 2024, Doctor Patricia (Trē) Lenehan moved peacefully on to her next great adventure, brain cancer having sped up her travel plans. She was 85 years young.
Doctor Lenehan was a kind, loving, supportive, positive, patient, wise adventurer and intellectual. Imagine a Mother Teresa character that does kid-friendly, standup comedy.
As this wonderful woman grew as a person and explored this world, she tried on new names. Over the course of her time with us, her friends knew her as Patricia, Patty, Pat, Trish, Trisha, Trē, Doc and of course, Doctor Trē.
Ever curious, she loved to learn. And more than anything, she loved learning about people. This, combined with her exTrēme positivity, made her both everyone’s best friend and the life of any party. She saw the beauty and specialness in all whom she met, and they, in turn, enjoyed basking in her love and appreciation.
Patrica entered this world in Ohio, the first child born to Signe and Harry (her father went by “Edgar” or “Ed”).
As Patty, she grew up in East Los Angeles, and graduated from Garfield High School (Later made famous by the movie, Stand and Deliver).
As Pat, she married, had three children, got a divorce, finished college and began life as a single parent, remarried, moved to Summerland, got divorced, moved to Santa Barbara and bought a home.
She did not let little things, like her lack of money, high costs, higher interest rates, nor the fact that women could not get loans by themselves at that time, impede her plans. Positivity was, truly, her superpower.
As Trish and Trisha, she worked MANY different jobs. Included here are just a few of them. She worked at a women’s shelter, as an insurance agent, as a banker, and she worked with our developmentally delayed population through Devereaux. Oftentimes, she worked two jobs at the same time.
During the holidays, in the evenings, she would also work at retail stores so that she could buy Christmas gifts for her children, whom she adored. She raised her three kids as a single mom. And though time and money were tight, she always found time to laugh with, encourage and support them. All three graduated from U.C.S.B. – Go Gauchos!
Despite being faced with numerous responsibilities and significant time challenges, this blessed woman never veered from her path of service. She was always volunteering for a good cause. She would even bring persons in need, into her home, to help them get back on to their feet. And her desire to give back never ended. Tre served as a docent at the Santa Barbara Courthouse until her illness would no longer allow her to do so.
After her kids finished their university educations, Trish/Trisha turned back to her own formal education, obtaining a Masters Degree in Psychology from California State University at Northridge – Go Matadors!
Finally, as Trē, she sought and obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology. At this point she was focused wholly on counseling and service work, including work for Saint Vincent’s transitional housing program for low-income single mothers.
Of course, this wonderful woman was also a ferocious reader. Her friends and family all have stories of her suggesting entertaining or helpful books. One of her favorite little books was Jonathan Livingston Seagull. An excerpt reads, “Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation.”
Fun, patient and wise, like her father before her, she, likewise, became the center of the family. And, like her father before her, she hosted a large annual get together, so that her family and friends could bond and enjoy each other.
Doctor Trē is survived by her three children, Michael, Kristan and William, and their respective spouses, Marylin, Ken and Claudia. She is also survived by her sister, Bonnie, many cousins, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
This magical woman will be greatly missed.