Patsy Inez Whitehead Slate lived by the Girl Scout motto to “Be Prepared.” She was always prepared to drop everything to attend the birth of a grandchild, always prepared to make a home cooked meal when her kids came home, but she was MOST prepared for September 3, 2022, when she finished her lifetime race and met her Lord and Savior.
Patsy was born January 30, 1934, to Alvie Lee and Nydia (Wright) Whitehead in Georgetown, Texas. She was the middle child of five children born to Alvie Lee and Nydia, but she was the only girl and so she was the apple of her daddy’s eye.
Early in Patsy’s childhood the family moved to Coleman, Texas, where she was a proud Bluecat, graduating in the Class of 1952. During her senior year she met this slightly rogue, very handsome, young Army soldier who had a car with loud pipes that you could hear all over town. He would turn out to be the love of her life, Archie Slate. Patsy would marry Archie on October 25, 1952, in the Whitehead home. From this union would come four children, nine grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Patsy loved music so the radio was always on especially on Sunday mornings when she tuned into the Chuckwagon Gang or the Blackwood Brothers Quartet while preparing for church where she taught Sunday school for many years. She was involved with various civic organizations in Coleman such as Gamma Beta Phi, Coleman Fine Arts League, and United Methodist Women. You could count on her to be a PTA member, band chaperone, twirling sponsor, and homeroom mother. She was a Girl Scout leader for years heading up summer camp at Hords Creek Lake, ramrodding annual cookie sales, and just touching the lives of so many young girls in Coleman. She and Archie both loved volunteering for Meals on Wheels and working in their yard even winning “Yard of the Month” once.
The greatest joy for Mom was her family. She loved us all, kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, out-laws, even some ex-laws. She gave us each a good Christian foundation on which to build our lives that we could pass on to our families, just as she did.
Mom was met in Heaven by Dad, Granny and Grandpa, her brothers Vernon, Brad, and Clay, and her granddaughter, Nova. Those celebrating her life here today are sons Chris (Cathy) Slate of Pipe Creek, Texas, and Johnny (Sandra) Slate of San Angelo, Texas. Daughters Kaye (Rick) McKee of Coleman, Texas, and Rebecca (James) Eidson of Abilene, Texas. Grandchildren Celeste (Quincy) Schaefer, Natalie (Dustin) McKnight, Brad (Dee Ann) Slate, Kristen (Ben) Lyons, SuJo McKee, Ricka (Daisy) McKee, Sam (Blair) Eidson, and Ali (fiancé Taos Hays) Eidson. Brother Harvey (Pam) Whitehead of Wasilla, AK.
The family will host a time of visitation and reflection from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, September 9, 2022, at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel.
Family and friends are invited to a funeral service celebrating her life at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 10, 2022, at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with Benny Allcorn officiating. Interment will follow in the Gouldbusk Cemetery.
Services are entrusted to Stevens Funeral Home, 400 W. Pecan Street, in Coleman.
Memorials are suggested in memory of Patsy to Coleman Home Health and Hospice, 115 West Street, Coleman, Texas 76834, Holiday Hill Nursing Home, P.O. Box 392, Coleman, Texas 76834, Coleman County Senior Center Meals on Wheels, 916 S. Concho Street, Coleman, Texas 76834, or to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.
Remembrances and condolences can be written to the family via the virtual guestbook on Patsy’s tribute page at www.stevensfuneralhome.com. Stevens Funeral Home is honored to serve the Slate family.