Patsy Bowden Strange

Sunday, December 27, 1936, all of Henry and Mable Bowden's most cherished dreams came true when they welcomed their baby daughter, Patsy Ruth Bowden, into the world. After the death of their first daughter, Betty Jo Bowden, Pat was born at home in Winnsborough Texas and raised as an only child. Pat would become one of the most loving, considerate, and generous people God ever created. Pat grew up in Mineola Texas and graduated from Mineola High School in 1954 where she met and would soon marry her high school sweetheart, W. L. "Blue" Strange. Pat was highly intelligent beginning school a year younger than other children. She also skipped one grade, and then met the requirements for graduation by the end of her junior year completing her education in just ten years. She worked in the principal's office her senior year and graduated with her class. Pat worked in banks and finance offices most of her life beginning in Dallas Texas as a young adult. She left the workforce to become a full-time mom in 1956 after the birth of daughter Rebecca Wyn Strange followed by the birth of son, Jeffry Blake Strange in 1958. Pat reentered the world of finance as a secretary with Associates Finance Company in 1969 climbing the corporate ladder to Regional Manager over four states. Again putting family first, in 1983 Pat returned to Wood County to be near and care for her widowed mother and mother-in-law during their declining years. Next stop, Lindale State Bank in 1985 beginning as a temporary part-time employee, Pat retired fifteen years later as an officer of the bank, official title: Assistant Vice President—Manager of Loan Operations. Beginning in 2000, Pat spent her retirement years caring for her aging mother and loving on her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by her father, Henry Bowden, mother Mable Bowden, and sister Betty Jo Bowden, she will be greatly missed by her surviving family including husband of sixty-five years, W. L. "Blue" Strange, son Jeffry Blake Strange, daughter Rebecca Wyn Strange, four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, a multitude of cousins, friends, and coworkers as well as beloved Yorkshire Terrier Prissy and one ornery cat T. C. Pat loved and was loved by everyone she knew. Pat accepted Christ Jesus as her personal Savior when she was sixteen years old and joyfully met her Redeemer face to face on Thursday, November 19, 2020. She was then reunited with her father, mother, sister, and a multitude of other family and friends. The remaining family mourns her death as we celebrate her life and look forward to spending eternity with her in the presence of God our Father.