On Thursday, May 24, 2012, Patti Jean Winget completed a life that was truly well-lived. Throughout her life she lived by the Christian admonition of “Do all the good you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Patti was born as Patti Jean Byers in Wenatchee, Washington, on May 25, 1925. She was the middle sister of Betty and Maxine and the daughter of Fenton Hampton Byers and Paul George Byers. Life was not easy, especially when it became the three girls and a single mother in the midst of the Great Depression. From her earliest days, Patti was a determined champion of her sisters and her family. She, her sisters and mother had a joyous connection throughout their lives.
Patti earned her way to a degree at Pepperdine College in Los Angeles on scholarships and by working as many as five jobs at a time, including digging dandelions. Her summer job was as a “Rosie the Riveter” on World War II planes for Douglass Aircraft. While at Pepperdine, she was the basketball queen, a proud Zeta Kappa and a terrific student. She was head cheerleader and listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Patti married Gerald Lowther, a fellow student who was a basketball and baseball star, in 1946 in Los Angeles. They moved across the country to Missouri to return to his home state.
Patti taught physical education courses at Pepperdine College, Columbia College and Stephens College to help put her husband through University of Missouri law school. She later taught at Missouri State University. For the next 25 years, her focus was on being a wonderful mother and wife. She had four children: Teresa (Jack) Roberts of Granger, Indiana; Craig (Rita) Lowther of Springfield, Missouri; Natalie Wolfe of Mission Hills, Kansas and Lisa (Edwin) Gordon of Frisco, Texas. Mom also opened our home to Filiz (Utsukarci) Ozel, an exchange student from Ankara, Turkey who became a life-long member of the family, particularly as a sister to Teresa.
With boundless energy, Patti made all her children’s clothes, cooked beautiful meals and kept a meticulously clean house. She raised her children with love as well as expectations of work and responsibility. And she was deadeye basketball shot at HORSE.
Patti was crowned Mrs. Missouri in 1958 and was a finalist in the Mrs. America contest where she won the competition for creating a beautiful table setting. While president of the regional Camp Fire Girls Council in Springfield, Missouri, she negotiated the acquisition and construction of a large summer camp on a river. Thousands of girls have experienced outdoor adventure because of her vision.
A strong faith was Patti’s anchor throughout her life. She was a member of the East Sunshine (previously South National) Church of Christ since 1951 where she taught Sunday School for decades. She was a steadfast Christian throughout her life, always adhering to her deeply felt values.
A fair chance for all was a touchstone as she herself overcame so much. Patti worked on numerous political campaigns with her husband and was particularly involved in the election of legendary Missouri governor, Warren Hearnes. Before attending the presidential inauguration of Lyndon Johnson, she made her own velvet ball gown.
Nana Pat adored all children, and particularly her grandchildren. Her Easter egg hunts were legendary as were her encouragement of improv plays, decorating cookies together and always dressing up for Halloween. Her grandchildren include Dylan Roberts of Granger; Lauren Lowther, Blake Lowther and Brooke (Stephen) Lowther Evans; Wendy, Brad and Alexis Wolfe; Jordan and Austin Paul and Brady Gordon. Mom also embraced her other children and grandchildren brought into her life through marriage. They include Rob, Mark and Brad Feuerbacher; and Susan Piper, Granger, Sarah LaDow, Granger and Jason Roberts, Cincinnati, Ohio.
In 1982, she married Howard Winget in Springfield, Missouri who predeceased her in 2010. Patti embraced Howard’s children and grandchildren as her own. She took particular joy in raising the youngest, Joe Winget, from his high school days through law school.
Patti is also survived by her beloved sisters, Betty (Lloyd) Watson, Long Beach, California and Maxine McKinnon, Huntington Beach, California. Mom took great delight in all her “California family”, including nieces, nephews and their children.
After divorce in her late 40s, Patti earned an M.B.A. from Drury College and re-joined the workforce. She was employed in human resources for several area businesses.
A great gift to her family was the four meticulously researched genealogy books Patti wrote on the branches of her children’s family. Pre-online genealogy sites, she trekked through endless cemeteries and libraries seeking small nuggets of family history. She became known as an impeccable resource for other genealogists and donated her research to genealogy archives.
Throughout her life, Patti sought ways to make life easier for others, especially children. She organized her church to regularly provide school supplies for children in need, tutored at a local elementary school, helped refurbish the Ronald McDonald house and was an early supporter of a women’s shelter in Springfield.
Patti was honored for her volunteer work by numerous organizations including the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the National Society of Colonial Dames of America. She served on the board of the Springfield Community Hospital for many years.
Patti loved to travel and had a sense of adventure throughout her life. She was endlessly intrigued by the people and cultures of the many countries she visited. Mom was known for her grace, style, drive and integrity. Most of all she will be remembered for her pride in and unfailing support of her children and grandchildren. She considered them to be the greatest reward of her life.
There will be a visitation at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at Greenlawn Funeral Home East in Springfield, Missouri followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m.
Donations in her memory may be made to Fair Haven Children’s Home, 3132 N. Fair Haven Loop, Strafford, Missouri 65757 or the Family Violence Center, PO Box 5972, Springfield, Missouri 65803.