Patricia Ruth Wakefield

Pat was born on the 25th of August 1928 in El Reno, Oklahoma to William Benton Cosgrove and Fannie Joplin Cosgrove. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Bill Cosgrove; and sister-in law, Dorothy Cosgrove. She is survived by her husband Gray Wakefield; children, Martha and Carroll Faulkner of Austin; Nancy Wakefield of Houston; Barbara and Mark Dinges of Houston; and Cathy and Bobby Wertheimer of Houston. Pat was blessed as a grandmother to Jennifer and Collin Bartley of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee; James and Layne Faulkner of Plano; Gray and Jenna Faulkner of Spicewood, Texas; Will Faulkner of Arlington, Texas; Charles Lowrey of Dallas; Caroline and First Lieutenant Travis Reed of Carlsbad, California; Marshall Dinges of Houston; Katherine and Ross Murrell of Dallas, and Chase, Blake and Cate Wertheimer of Houston. Pat also has five great grandchildren: Caden, Caleb, Cole and Coen Bartley of Mt. Juliet and Evelyn Murrell of Dallas.

After graduation from El Reno High School 1946, Pat attended Oklahoma A&M at Stillwater. She graduated in the spring of 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Bacteriology and Chemistry. Pat passed the national exam to be a Certified Medical Technologist. The Oklahoma State Medical School immediately employed her as a Research Technologist in the Pathology Department.

Pat and Gray met in 1954. Their love for one another blossomed quickly, and they were married in Oklahoma City on April 2, 1955. From blossom to bloom, they were blessed with three daughters in five years before moving to Houston, Texas, and in 1963 had a fourth beautiful daughter.

Pat was a respected leader in her community. She motivated her friends and neighbors to action when she felt that issues needed to be addressed. Shortly after moving into their second home in the “zoned” Village of Hunter’s Creek, Pat led several efforts to fight off commercial interests that were trying to invade into the Village and overturn the residential zoning ordinances. As a result of her leadership, Pat’s community including many fellow petition carriers convinced her to run for City Council. She was elected to two consecutive terms as councilwoman and completed her service by running an unopposed race as Mayor of Hunter’s Creek Village. Pat was the first woman to be elected to both offices in the Village. She remained active in the Republican Party and the local Republican Women’s Club of Houston.

In the 1980’s, Pat founded the Houston Family Association and served as Chairman of the Board. The underlying mission is to provide protection for women and children. During her term, Pat was successful in getting several bills passed through the Texas Legislature. Today, these laws continue to protect the lives of women and children.

Pat was actively involved in raising her four daughters. She served as a Girl Scout Leader and Sunday School Teacher. Pat taught Sunday School, served on the Administrative Board of Directors, and served on the Finance Committee for Chapelwood Methodist Church. Perhaps most importantly, Pat instilled Christian values into the family through her loving actions.

Genealogy became a real passion for Pat, and she spent many hours of self-taught research while traveling to genealogy libraries in Houston, Salt Lake City, and even overseas in Ireland and England.

Pat loved to garden. The flower beds just outside of her windows are adorned with azaleas, roses and many other blooming annuals and perennials. With the curtains open and the sun shining in, she left us with that picture of beauty and renewal and confidence that we will be reunited in Heaven.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening of Friday, the 9th of March, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, TX.

A memorial service is to be conducted at noon on Saturday, the 10th of March, in the Hankamer Chapel of Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway Drive in Houston, where Pat and Gray have attended church for many years. Rev. Lee Maxcy, Pastor will preside over the services.

The family will gather for a private interment at Forest Park Westheimer in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Pat’s name be directed to Urban Outreach (http://urbanoutreachinc.org).