Residents in Fair Oaks remember woman killed by falling tree

FAIR OAKS, Calif. — Neighbors are calling the death of a woman killed by a falling tree in Fair Oaks a horrible tragedy.

They described her as a nice woman who they would often see working in the garden. They wish they could have done more to prevent the tragedy from happening.

“We just stayed hunkered down in the house and stayed warm and dry totally unaware that Patty was going through such a tragedy,” said Ellen Tenney, a neighbor.

Tenney said she learned her neighbor was killed by a falling tree when she saw deputies investigating yesterday.

The woman was identified as 63-year-old Patricia Slomski. Slomski was a paralegal for Ellison, Schneider and Harris, LLP, law firm.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said it was her employer who called asking for a wellness check.

“Yesterday at about 11 a.m. requesting a welfare check because she hadn’t reported to work for a couple of days. We get these kinds of requests routinely, so our deputies did go out there. Unfortunately, (they) did find her deceased in the backyard,” said Sgt. Amar Gandhi, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.

Tenney, who’s lived in the neighborhood for almost three decades, said the situation is another hit to the community.

“Patty’s housemate passed away the week before Christmas. She was an 87-year-old woman who was ill and then passed away in the hospital. There was a lot of sadness in the neighborhood from that and then to have this happen with Patty amplified that,” said Tenney.

Tenney said she feels bad for both families involved and sends her condolences as she plans to get to know her other neighbors better.

“It’s made me a little more aware that we do need to connect with our neighbors and know more about them and keep in touch better so that we can we look out for each other. And we felt like we have a good neighborhood here, made me aware of how little I know about them,” she said.