Birth date: Jun 16, 1931 Death date: Sep 5, 2020
Patricia Jeanne Burton, 89, resident of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma passed away September 5, 2020. Patricia was born June 16, 1931 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Price and Ruth Harding. She will be missed by everyone who knew and loved h Read Obituary
Pat was a special person. She was brilliant. I did my intern teaching under her and I couldn’t have asked for a better role model. She loved teaching and her students. She would go out of her way to help anybody. She was very knowledgeable in the subjects she taught. She loved to take classes and continue learning. Some would say she was a workaholic. She would teach all day and continue teaching at Tulsa Community College in the evenings. I remember one day at lunch (we were eating split pea soup) I asked her why she taught so much? She replied, I want to get Beth whatever she wants. I said, isn’t that spoiling her? She said, that is one of the reasons I got her… to spoil her.
Pat loved her chocolate. She was always a slim woman, but she sure could eat the chocolate. Any time she was working in front of a computer, she would have a bag or dish of chocolates to nibble on.
Pat was a lot of fun to be around. One day, Pat, Earl and I went to Pine Island to look at the property and to hear about their time shares. The little salesman got on a golf cart. Earl was on the front with him and Pat and I were on the back. Pat pulled out her Harlequin Romance she was reading and began to read. The salesman was telling us about Pine Island and kept trying to get Pat to pay attention. She told him that Earl took care of all the real estate decisions and continued to read. The salesman was getting upset with her. When we got back to the office, Earl told him he wasn’t interested in the property. The salesman turned to Pat and began yelling at her. We were stunned. Pat said she was sorry if she upset him and we left the office. Earl had been promised a speed boat for attending that day. Earl turned back to the salesman and asked about his speed boat. The salesman went to a shed and brought Earl a blow up boat. We all laughed and the salesman went back to the office in a huff.
Pat enjoyed her friends. Pat, Georgia, Ruth and I would play SkipBo on Saturday nights. Pat would really get animated when playing games. We really enjoyed each others’ company. These ladies were the most caring people I have ever known.
Pat enjoyed going to the opera and ballet with Mary Beth Webb and Mrs. Webb.
Pat liked to travel. She went with me, Theresa Fowler and Wilda Goode to Boston and Salem, MA for a week. We spent a week in Acapulco, Mexico with some other friends. We also went to Hot Springs, AR, Eureka, AR, and Branson, MO. In addition, we went on many other work related trips.
When Wilda commited suicide, Pat just couldn’t get over it. This really took a toll on her. She seemed to have changed at this point. She always wondered what else she could have done to help her. This event really played on her mind.
When Christopher, her grandson, became ill, she was persistent in trying to help him and trying to find a better doctor, treatment or a cure.
Pat was a strong woman. When tragedy or a sad event would take place, she would get busy. This was her way of dealing with grief.
Pat was a great cook. I remember that she would cook on Sunday afternoons for the week. When she prepared meals for a holiday, it was a feast. She also liked crafts and sewing. She didn’t do a lot, but she did enjoy doing them when she could.
I admired her in so many ways. She was a kind, loving, and giving person. But most of all, she was humble. She had plenty, but always acted like she didn’t have anything. She loved people for their character, not what they were or had.
I love her.
Callie Armstrong
I knew Pat’s grandson (Christopher) which was how I came to know Pat. To be honest, I found her quite intimidating. She didn’t seem to suffer fools and was quite direct. However, she was always kind to me, and honestly direct people are my favorite people.
After graduating college I found myself working an entry level full time job with a very entry level salary. With the help of a roommate to split rent with, I was able to afford to rent a townhouse. Shortly after, life happened and my roommate had to move out and back home. I couldn’t afford our place, or any place, on my own. Pat caught wind of this and insisted I live in one of the rental homes she owned. She charged me rent so minimal, I know she wasn’t making a profit. It wouldn’t surprise me if she was actually taking a loss. Anytime I offered my thanks or gifts of thanks, she wouldn’t have it. She said a friend of her grandson was family. Sometimes she sent cards to the house with little handwritten notes, even newspaper clippings she thought may interest me. Because of her kindness, I was able to live within my means, and eventually move on to purchase a house of my own. I’m sure I’m not the only person who has benefited from Pat’s kindness, and I believe many of those acts of kindness were also performed quietly with no thanks or accolades accepted by her. I will remember always the kindness she showed me, and hope to see her again one day.
Thank you for allowing me to share.
Sincerely,
Ashley Hopkins
I wish I could tell you how much Pat meant to me... I was a child when Pat came into my life, And if I remember correctly it was right after her late husband Earl passed away. Pat alway had two great friends that came over most of the times my sister and I were at her house, Ruth and Georgia... they always reminded me of the 3 musketeers as they would chit chat, laugh, and talk about old memories.
Pat’s grandson Christopher would come over often and we would all binge watch the sandlot, goonies, Fantasia or The never ending story.
Sometimes we would all sit at the table and play board games until it was bedtime or time to go home. Pats home at the time was on 121st and mingo. She had barbed wire fences lined with blackberries all around her property. We would spend countless hours walking the fences getting thorns stuck in our fingers, or my sister and I would go hunting snakes around the hay bales in the barn and then have to listen to Pat get onto us about how unsafe it was and if we got bit we could end up seriously injured in a hospital. Didn’t sound too terrible as kids 😇
Almost every time we were there, Pat would always get a sweet tooth around 7-8pm and would ask if we wanted to go to Braum’s. What kid wouldn’t!
Sitting down at the table while eating our ice cream, she would ask us about school or interests keeping up with our changing lives.
Fast forward some years, I managed to make it through the teenage stage and finally meet my wife. My wife and I were graced with our first child when I was 25. It was about this time that I realized that Pat was my “grandma” or the closest to one that I ever had. My grandparents had lived out of state my whole life but Pat, being the sweet person she was, gave me those childhood memories that any kid deserves to have.
I remember reaching out to Beth when I was 27 asking about Pat and how I could reach her only to find out she had dementia and hearing the hard news that she most certainly wouldn’t remember who I was. This broke my heart.
I was terrified of the thought of standing in front of her and not knowing who I was.
Pat was one of the best people that have come into my life, and it’s even better to know that it was her choice to make the memories with us. She will be forever missed and loved and always in my heart.
Beth & Chris, I am so sorry for your loss❤️
We’re so sorry to hear of your moms passing. Your in our thoughts & prayers! We love you guys! ❤️
Jerry & Lisa
So sorry for your loss,My thoughts and prayers are with you
