Patsy Long Derr

Services for Patsy Long Derr, 76, of Harker Heights will be Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 2pm at the First United Methodist Church in Killeen. Burial will be in Altus City Cemetery in Altus, Oklahoma at 10am Monday, October 22, 2012.

Patsy Long Derr was a 1954 graduate of the Altus Oklahoma High School as Valedictorian, a 1980 graduate of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and member of Alpha Chi Accounting Honor Society.

Following her retirement in 1996 as a Certified Public Accountant and Vice President of Wilson Derr Thompson, PC in Harker Heights, Rotary became Patsy’s full-time passion.

Patsy was named Rotarian of the Year for 1996 and, in 1997, was named to the District 5870 Roll of Fame.

On July 1, 2000 Patsy became the 86th Governor of District 5870, the first woman to ever hold this position.

Patsy was the holder of The Rotary Foundation’s Citation for Meritorious Service and Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award, one of only nine Rotarians in the history of District 5870 to hold both awards. Prior to falling ill, Patsy was nominated for The Rotary Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award. If selected by the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation, she will become only the second Rotarian in the history of District 5870 to hold all three recognitions.

Patsy was past president of the Exchange Club of Killeen, and was a charter member and sustaining member of the Junior Service League of Killeen. She was a member of the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce, the Modern Study Club, and the Institute of Humanities in Salado.

Patsy was preceded in death by her husband, U.S. Army Colonel Edward B. (Jack) Derr and her father Floyd Marshal (Pat) Long.

She is survived by her two children, Douglas N. Derr (wife Dawn) of The Woodlands, Texas and Barbara Derr Thomas (husband Craig) of Allen, Texas; grandchildren Sarah Katie Thomas of Lancaster California and Jack Edward Thomas of Allen, Texas; Mother Katie Long of Altus, Oklahoma; sisters Ruth Thomason of Altus Oklahoma, Shirley Casey (husband Ronald) of Harker Heights, Texas and Kay Long-Mentzer of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and brothers Wayne Long (wife Janet) of Kansas City Missouri and Connie Ray (Buddy) Long (wife Anna Beth) of Orlando Florida.

The family will receive friends for a time of visitation on Friday, October 19, 2012 from 6-8pm at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen.

Offer condolences to the family of Patsy Long Derr at www.crawfordbowersfuneralhome.com