Patricia Murray

Pat was born and named Gladys Fae Jackson in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in November of 1935. She weighed only one and a half pounds. Her twin brother weighed only one pound, and died after three days. The family kept Pat in a shoebox by the wood stove that winter until she was bigger and strong enough to survive in a crib.

You can tell by her beginnings that Pat was a fighter.

Pat’s father died in a coal mining accident when she was six months old. Her mother had to work three jobs to support Pat’s two older sisters and her brother. Pat’s mother gave her to her brother, Harry Wardley and his wife, Viola, who could have no children of their own. Harry renamed her Patricia Ann Wardley, and the new little family moved to Baltimore, Maryland where Pat spent the rest of her childhood. She was confirmed in the Lutheran church where she grew to love the Lord.

In school, Pat loved English and history, and hated public speaking. She would write a ten page paper if it meant that she didn’t have to give an oral presentation. Even so, she enjoyed her high school years, got her first job at a neighborhood drugstore, and graduated from high school in 1953.

After graduation, Pat moved to Seattle and became a Wave in the Navy. She met and married fellow Navy man, Al Balli in 1955. Ten months later, Pat and Al welcomed their daughter, Norma into the world. The Navy sent the little family to Japan and their family increased with the birth of their second daughter, Anita.

The next ten years were spent moving from Monterey to San Diego and finally to Seattle with the Navy where Pat’s marriage to Al ended. Pat took her girls and moved to San Diego where she finished raising them and got a job as a clerk with the phone company. Pat met Jerry Murray at the phone company, and in 1971 married him.

Pat and Jerry retired in 1980 and moved to Yakima, Washington. Jerry died in 1985, and Pat went back to work, this time as a housekeeper in a convalescent hospital. She earned many awards for her conscientious work ethic over the next fourteen years.

Pat loved animals. Over the years, she has had one dog, six cats, a pet turkey, and countless parakeets. She always kept the birdbath in her yard clean and filled and made sure the neighborhood wild birds had a place to rest and have a snack.

Pat was an avid bowler for most of her life, earning many proudly displayed trophies. She bowled on a league until she couldn’t lift the ball anymore. She kept track of her scores in a little book and tried to beat her last score with each game.

Pat loved her family more than anything else. She loved her daughter Norma and her children, Kelly, Kim, Mecauley, and George. She loved her daughter Anita and her husband Roland and Anita children, Reyla, Brian and Brandon. She loved her great-grandchildren: Shaun, Bobby, Jackson, Joey, CJ, Skyler, Aurora, Isabella, Julien, Simone, and Stone.

Pat battled cancer twice and won, bringing her closer to God than ever. Pat’s final years were spent crocheting; shopping and going for walks with her girls; talking with her son-in-law; reading her beloved books, and laughing and putting puzzles together with her friends.

Funeral arrangements under the direction of Funeraria del Angel McLeod, Escondido, CA.

Funeraria del Angel McLeod

1919 East Valley Parkway

Escondido, California 92027

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Funeraria del Angel McLeod at 760-745-2100.