Patricia Peter Gambulos of Oklahoma City, devoted wife of 71 years to Byron J. Gambulos, entered into eternal rest after a brief illness. She was born in Oklahoma City on February 19, 1926 to the late Ruby Moneta Tate & Peter George Sinopoulo. She attended Pollock’s school, Harding Junior High & graduated from Classen High School. She received her degree in vocal performance from Steven’s College in Missouri, where she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Her father, Peter Sinopoulo, was one of the co-founders of Del-Mar Gardens. The family later opened up 5 music halls & 5 movie theaters. She once sang for the visiting operatic icon Lilly Pons who encourage her to seek a career in music. She married the love of her life, Byron Gambulos, on December 30, 1947. Together they opened Pat’s Fashion Shop in 1949. Pat became a licensed realtor & worked for Harrison Levy, Sr. Realty Company. She co-founded Byron’s Liquor Warehouse, G&G and Highland Investment Companies, as well as DGD, PSG, & Delmar Reality Companies. She was a past President of the Downtown Ladies Kiwanis Club. For ten years, Pat was a member of the Westminster choir. She was active in her three daughters’ schools, Casady, & Edgemere where she was the President of the PTA. She was a lover of the arts & donated the building for the Carpenter Square Theatre as well as the library in Magoola, Sparta. Pat was an original Board member of the Oklahoma Zoological Society. The Zoo named the first Zoozeum in the nation in honor of Patricia & Byron Gambulos.
In addition to her beloved husband, she is survived by her three daughters & their spouses, Debby & Paul Dudman of Oklahoma City, Kathy & Stuart Carey of Tucson, AZ. & Ellen & Peter Cody of Redding, CT., seven grandchildren, Amelia, Katie, Stuart, Alex, Layne, Blake, & Grant, & nine great grandchildren, Pierce, Charlie, Logan, Eden, Kingsley, Jack, Cole, Luke, & Tate.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, March 25th at 11:00 am, at the Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Chapel, with private committal service.
The family has requested that no flowers be sent, but rather contributions be sent to either St. Anthony Hospital Foundation or the Oklahoma Zoological Society.
