On May 19, 2024, Patricia Ann (Mallow) Lightner, 69, affectionately known by her family and friends as “Patty” died peacefully at Sentara RMH Hospital in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She was surrounded by her sister, Carolyn, brother, Larry, and her lifelong adoptive second family, Tabitha and Makayla Tingler, and her beloved “daughter of her heart,” Charity Tingler, who held her hand until her final moments.
She was born Nov. 20, 1955, in Petersburg to Wayne Curtis Mallow and Norma Gay (Harper) Mallow of Circleville (both deceased).
The family moved to Dayton, Virginia, in the late 1960s, where she attended Dayton Elementary and Turner Ashby High School. After high school she lived in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and worked for several years at Wampler Foods. In her early 20s she moved to Monterey, Virginia, and resided with her maternal grandparents, Hattie and Wayland Ratcliffe. She was employed at The Highland Inn and Highs Restaurant and that was where she met her future husband, James “Jim” Lightner. They wed in 1982 and were married until her husband’s death in 1991. She became a certified caretaker and provided in-home care for many years in Highland, Bath and Augusta counties in Virginia.
She is survived by a sister, Carolyn (Mallow) Cline and husband, Quentin of Swoope, Virginia, brother, Larry Wayne Mallow and wife, Mary Grace (Lahman) Mallow of Harrisonburg, Virginia; a stepson, James “Little Jim” Lightner, Jr., of Rockingham County, Virginia; half siblings, Barbara, Amy Lynn and David Johnson of Rockingham County, Virginia; an uncle, Loy Harvey and wife, Bonnie of Bassett, Virginia; first cousins, Mark Wimer and Terry Teter and wife, Kathy, all Circleville, Jeanie Wimer of Pendleton County, “Tim” Mallow of Baltimore, Maryland, Janet Lynn Mallow and Charles Mallow, Jr. of Arbovale, David Mallow and wife, Shirley of Franklin, Christian Harvey and wife, Tammy of Churchville, Virginia, Amanda Harvey of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Shaun Harvey of Richmond, Virginia; and many second cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, Wayne C. Mallow and Norma Gay (Harper) Mallow; her husband, James Herbert Lightner, Sr.; grandparents, Hattie (Harvey) and Wayland Ratcliffe, Isaac Austin Mallow and Judith Marie (Judy) Mallow; great-grandmothers, Roxanna Nelson Mallow and Ida B. Harper; uncles, Benjamin (Lona Whitecotton and Ruth Dahmer) Mallow, Wade Hilbert (Thelma Cummins) Mallow, Charles Phillip (Betty Sponagle) Mallow and Mason Daniel (Kathleen Young) Mallow; aunts, Genevieve Wilma (Mallow) Wimer and Mabel “Judy” Mallow-Vandevander (Robert); and first cousins, Tom Vandevander, Cheryl Jecko, Darlene Cooper, Kenneth Mallow, Bonnie Mallow and Brenda Mallow.
A special thank you to the entire staff in the emergency room, critical care, progressive care, palliative care, wound care, the chaplain and to every department that provided medical, spiritual and daily care for her during her final weeks. The compassion, guidance and communications were instrumental in helping to lighten the burden of decision making for the family.
She was a member of the Harrisonburg Free Will Baptist Church, 331 Vine Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and was baptized in July 2001. A celebration of her life will be held at 2 p.m. June 11 with Reverend Paul J Collins officiating. The service will be live streamed on FaceBook.
In keeping with her wishes her body was cremated. A private ceremony at East Lawn Cemetery in Harrisonburg, Virginia, will be held at a later date. A reception luncheon and visitation will be held immediately following.
In lieu of flowers, she would be honored by family and friends to simply reach out to a community member that may need some assistance in their daily life and especially to visit or correspond with a resident in any assisted or nursing facility.
Condolences can be sent to mcbrydge2@yahoo.com.