Citizen of the Year: Patti Boxeth

TTCF is happy to share this article once again in celebration of Patti Boxeth’s 2015 Citizen of the Year Award. On April 20th at the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association Community Awards Dinner, Patti humbly received the award with her husband, Gary, and daughter, Cheri, present. The 2014 winner, Stacy Caldwell, TTCF CEO, presented the award to Patti. TTCF is so grateful to have had this powerful changemaker working closely with our own organization as a former board member, a panelist in our 2015 Board Governance Series and an influencer. Congratulations, Patti! 

The oldest of six siblings, Patti Boxeth spent her early childhood in Louisiana where her grandfather was in the cotton growing business.  Her family moved to California and then to the Pacific Northwest.  In high school, Patti got her “lucky break.” Out of her modest class of sixteen seniors, the FBI recruited her to work in Washington D.C.  She worked in the D.C. area for forty-four years in banking, sales and marketing, and then as a stockbroker.

Patti retired to Tahoe thirteen years ago with her husband Gary Boxeth, with whom she has seven children and sixteen grandchildren. Ever since, Patti and Gary have been busy making our community a better place.

Patti, a Rotarian since Rotary International opened to women, credits her mother as her philanthropic inspiration.  Patti’s mother volunteered until she passed away at 96 years old.  While raising her kids, she cofounded a church, acted as a volunteer fire department dispatcher, and practically ran the school system.

Patti served on Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s Board of Directors for eleven years, including two as Chair.  A longtime member, she also volunteered on the Queen of Hearts Women’s Fund leadership team and has truly enjoyed watching the acclaimed organization grow.

Patti’s philanthropic passion is to give people an opportunity to get themselves to a better place.  Inspired by the incredible talent, vision, and passion leading local nonprofits, Patti has volunteered on numerous boards to lead significant community projects including the Tahoe League for Charity and the Tahoe Truckee Scholarship Committee.

Patti and Gary sat on the Cancer Advisory Council for six and a half years and saw, from vision to implementation, the building of the Gene Upshaw Cancer Center.  Tahoe Forest Hospital System awarded to the Boxeths the 2010 Tom and Pam Hobday “Spirit of Giving Award.”  The prestigious award recognizes the generosity and dedication of community members who go above and beyond to better our community healthcare, and it carries significant meaning and honor.

Nowadays, Patti serves as the Deacon at Incline’s Village Presbyterian Church.  She also sits on the Tahoe City Rotary’s Board chairing the Community Service Committee, as well as the North Lake Tahoe Boys and Girls Club Board. The opportunity to be something bigger than she and to truly make a difference in the lives of her neighbors makes Patti Boxeth a community changemaker.

This article appears here now after running in Sierra Sun twice and in TTCF’s own 2015 publications.