Menifee resident Pati Mestas among Vegas shooting victims

Story has been updated with a GoFundMe page set up for the family of the deceased:

Family and friends are mourning the death of Menifee resident Pati Mestas, who was among those killed during the shootings at a country music festival in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Mestas, 67 and a resident of the Menifee Lakes community, was a huge country music fan who attended many concerts with friends, said her brother, J.D. Arrighi of Oakdale, California. She was a mother of three, had eight grandchildren and was described as a person "who had a passion for people."

"Pati loved being around people and having fun," Arrighi said in a phone interview Wednesday. "She was in her element with family and friends. She just loved having fun and enjoying life in general. She was a big country music fan. As many concerts as she could go to, she would go. She was a big fan of Stagecoach and concerts like that.

"Pati went to this festival with a big group of people. She was with friends when all this happened. When she passed away, she was with people she loved."

Arrighi said he hadn't spoken personally to his sister in a couple of months but communicated regularly with her through social media. He said she was divorced and lived alone. Mestas' personal Facebook page contains many photos of country music concerts she attended.

Tom Smith, a cousin of Mestas who lives in San Antonio, posted a tribute to her on his Facebook page.

"Sadly, my dear cousin, Pati Mestas, was identified early this morning as one of the 59 victims of the deadly shooting in Las Vegas," Smith wrote. "As all of the cousins grieve, we ask for your prayers and thoughts through these fateful hours.

"Pati Mestas was a true and dedicated Christian, and when God called her home last Sunday, she began her glorious eternity with the family we all so dearly loved. Her generous smile was infectious, and it brightly reflected the Glory of God like a beacon of joy. Heaven's gain this day is our loss, though only temporarily. She waits for us, with those who have gone before."

Remembrances of Mestas were included on a Menifee 24/7 Facebook page reporting her death.

"Pati is the aunt to my son-in-law, Justin Schmidt," wrote Kathy Jo Dare of Perris. "We are saddened by this news and the family is grieving over the loss. She was a country music fan and loved to attend many concerts. She will be truly missed by all that knew her."

Samantha Jenkins of Menifee also has fond memories of Mestas.

"Pati was always so sweet!" she wrote on Facebook. "We are so sorry to hear of the loss of such a nice and caring woman. She always talked about how much she adored her grandkids. Rest in peace, Pati."

"She always said hi to everyone she saw," wrote Amie Kinnie.

Mestas grew up in Pomona and graduated from Garey High School. She had lived in Menifee for "four or five years," said her brother.

Arrighi said funeral arrangements have not been made. He said the children are in Las Vegas and probably won't return to the Riverside area with her remains until the end of the week.

One of Mestas' family members has shared with us this GoFundMe page set up in her memory.


Pati Mestas is survived by two brothers, J.D. Arrighi of Oakdale and Walter Schmidt of Riverside; three children, Jodie Scaramozza of Riverside, Brandon Mestas of Riverside and Jeremy Schmidt of Texas; and eight grandchildren.