Patience "Pat" Conrad

Patience Hall Conrad passed beyond our physical sight on Sunday, August 4, 2013 at Columbine West Care Center in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Pat, as she was called by most everyone, was born in Atlanta, GA on February 16, 1926 to Belle Hollinger Hall and Harold Milton Hall. Pat moved with her mother to Texas as an infant and was a near lifelong resident of Texas mostly in Fort Worth. She was raised by her mother as an only child. As an only child of a single mom she had a deep and abiding love for her mother. She and her mother were constant companions throughout life. Pat attended Daggett Junior High and was a 1942 graduate of Central (Paschal) High School.

In May of 1945 she married her lifelong partner and best friend, Earl Conrad at Central Methodist Church in Fort Worth. She became a devoted mother of three children, Diane, Julie, and Ed and was an ardent supporter of their paths in life as well as a loyal presence at an uncountable number of football, basketball, and baseball games throughout the years that her children were at home as well as throughout Earl's career as a baseball player and coach.

Pat became an avid walker for many years devotedly rising in the early morning hours and walking day after day year after year with her cohorts at the Hulen Mall. She was challenging to keep up with. Pat, along with Earl, fell in love with the mountains of New Mexico and later Colorado. Every summer for more than forty years, she would make the annual excursion to her favorite places. First, it was Red River, NM, and later Lake City, Colorado. Pat and Earl eventually owned a cabin on Ball Flats in Lake City and loved the family gatherings that took place there year after year.

Pat grew up in Central Methodist Church which later became Overland Park Methodist and is now Arborlawn United Methodist Church. Her devotion to her church and to those she served was unstoppable. She was a member of Arborlawn for 75 years. On her own initiative, she started a visitation ministry to bring love and support to those confined in their homes and care facilities. For more than twenty years she would visit those in need and was instrumental in drawing others in to be of service. Pat truly cared for others. This was just one of many expressions of love and service that she brought to her church home. Her spiritual life and commitment to a heartfelt Christian path was evident by all who knew her.

Pat was employed as the secretary at the School for the Deaf with the Ft Worth School District from 1967 through 1981 and loved her work. Eventually Earl joined her in retirement and they enjoyed many years of active retired life together.

She faced the closing years of her life and its challenges with the same love and determination that was the mark of her whole life. Many thanks go out to all those who have extended their love and support of Pat especially in recent years. She and Earl moved to Fort Collins, Colorado in 2009 to be closer to their daughter Julie. Great thanks go out to Julie for all the love and energy she has given to her dear mother. Kudos also to Julie's husband Ken.

Pat was preceded in death by her stepfather R.E.L. Batts in 1966, her mother Belle Batts in 1993, and her daughter Diane in 2003. She is survived by her husband Earl of Fort Collins; her daughter Julie and son-in-law Ken of Fort Collins; her son Ed of Eugene, Oregon; son-in-law, David Palladino of Littleton, CO; grandchildren Kim of Lakewood, CO, Hillary of Granite Falls, WA, David of Denver, CO, Brian of Steamboat Springs, CO, Zachary of Denver and Darren of Denver; sister-in-law Earlene Conrad of Ft Worth; 6 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at 3:00 PM Friday, August 9th at Arborlawn United Methodist Church, in the Sanctuary, 5001 Briarhaven Road, Fort Worth. Interment follows the service at Laurel Land Cemetery.

The family requests that any memorial donations please be made to Arborlawn UMC.