Sabra Patricia “Pat” Wilkins passed from this life into the arms of her Savior Jesus Christ on December 31, 2020. She was born in Henderson, Texas on July 8, 1937 to Alleece Zuber Owens and Oliver Dew Owens. Sabra “Pat” was named after her mother’s dear friend Sabra Rice. She later moved to Houston with her parents and two brothers Bobby and Gregory who called her “Patsy”.
Her family attended the First Methodist Church in downtown Houston where she sang in the choir and met her future husband, Forrest Wilkins. Pat graduated from San Jacinto High School and later from Methodist Hospital School of Nursing.
Pat and Forrest were married on June 2, 1956 in Houston and moved to Greensboro, NC. in 1961 with their growing family. After 5 years in North Carolina Pat and Forrest moved to Mobile, Alabama and later to Oklahoma City in 1969.
Pat continued her nursing career at Baptist Hospital in Oklahoma City, eventually working in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit caring for many of Oklahoma’s first heart transplant patients. She later worked at Deaconess Hospital in cardiac care and education. Pat was an excellent nurse for 40 years who was admired by the doctors and nurses she worked alongside for so many years. She inspired two of her children to pursue nursing as a career.
Pat loved music from an early age and took a city bus by herself as a young child to take violin lessons. She later learned to play the piano beautifully, enjoying this passion for the rest of her life. Pat and Forrest sang in their church choirs for many years as well as performing in civic music associations. They sang in productions such as South Pacific, Pirates of Penzance and Handel’s Messiah.
She inherited a love and talent for sewing and needlework from her mother and grandmother. As a teenager, she helped to create her best friend Shirley’s prom dress. Pat created beautiful clothing and needlework art for all her life. Her family will treasure these pieces always.
Pat is survived by her husband of 64 years, Forrest Wilkins of Yukon, daughters Melanie (Dick) Stillinger of Edmond, Evelyn (Marvin) Green of Portland, OR and son Forrest (Cherrie) of Fort Worth, TX as well as seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Greg Owens and his wife Betty of Houston.
Pat was preceded in death by her parents Oliver and Alleece Owens and brother Robert O. Owens.
Funeral services will be on Thursday, January 7 at 2:00 pm at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper in Oklahoma City for family members only. Guests are invited to join through the livestream link at https://tinyurl.com/hcfhlive.
Visitation will be held at Hahn-Cook on Wednesday, January 6 from 12:00 to 8:00pm. Family will welcome guests from 6:00-7:00pm. Masks are required.
Private burial will be held at Rose Hill Burial Park in Oklahoma City.
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