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The state's legal community is mourning the loss of Patricia Bartholomew, the Utah Supreme Court's longtime clerk, who died in a weekend motorcycle crash.
"Pat was a consummate professional who was loved and respected by her colleagues and by those in the law community," Chief Justice Matthew Durrant said in a prepared statement Monday. "She was warm, friendly, kind and respectful to those with whom she worked. Pat will be greatly missed by our court family. "
The 59-year-old Bartholomew and her husband died Saturday while riding a motorcycle on Mirror Lake Highway (State Road 150) in Summit County.
Authorities said the Bartholomews were traveling west about 10 miles east of Kamas when they crossed into oncoming traffic and struck an eastbound car. Two men in the car were not injured.
"As far as why that motorcycle left its lane, we don't know yet," Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Todd Johnson said Monday.
Bartholomew and her husband, Ross, 63, died at the scene. Ross Bartholomew worked as the director of the Davis County Tax Administration.
Bartholomew worked as the Utah Supreme Court's clerk for 23 years. Before that, she spent two years working in the state's juvenile court system.
"It's a tremendous loss for the court," said former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Zimmerman. "I feel like I've lost a good friend."
As the high court's clerk, she was "fair but never harsh," Zimmerman said. "Pat had a tremendous grace about her. Everybody liked Pat."
Salt Lake appellate attorney Troy Booher said Bartholomew "always wanted to help you do a better job as an attorney."
"I know from other attorneys who clerked up there for the justices, she's really kept that place running for many, many years, and she's going to be greatly missed," Booher said.