Obituary for Patricia Margaret Pate (Tuffs)
Patricia Margaret Pate, age 90, passed away September 24, 2023, at a Charleston nursing home, a day before what would have been her 68th wedding anniversary with James Patton Pate, who preceded her in death in 2009.
She was born Patricia Margaret Tuffs on March 18, 1933, in London, England. As a child, she lived through the Blitz, the Nazi's World War II air campaign that resulted in almost nightly bombing on the inhabitants of London. Patricia's father and grandfather were killed in 1941 in one of those attacks. She had two siblings: a sister, Doris, who died tragically at age 12 when struck by a car, and a beloved brother, Frankie, who died at his retirement home in Wales in 2019.
It was at a cousin's wedding in the early 1950s that Patricia met James Pate, a young U.S. serviceman who was stationed in England. They wed in 1955 and had their first child, Kimberley, in 1956. The family then moved to James' home state of Arkansas in time for the birth of their second child, Kendal, in 1959.
The Fort Smith home was a dramatic change for big-city girl Patricia, but she quickly came to love the state and her new country, and in the late 1980s, she became a proud U.S. citizen. She never lost her English accent, however, and it continued to charm all those she met for her entire life.
In 1964, the couple successfully started their own business, Arkansas Seat Cover Company. It passed down through three generations of the family and is now run by their grandson Michael Velez. In the late 1960s, the family moved from their Fort Smith home to Vista Hills in Van Buren, where their third child, Christopher, was born in 1970. When a tornado destroyed the house in 1996, Patricia and James moved to their family farm in Lavaca, where Patricia lived until nursing care became necessary in 2023.
Patricia was known for her quick wit, elegance, intelligence, and for her very British stiff upper lip. She enjoyed gardening, traveling, all types of needlework, and whipping up traditional dinners such as "pie and mash" for the family.
She is survived by daughter Kimberley Velez of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and son-in-law Ricardo Velez; daughter Kendal Patterson of Carlsbad, California, and son-in-law Don Patterson; son Christopher Pate of Van Buren, Arkansas, and daughter-in-law Crystal Pate; and a sister-in-law, Barbara Tuffs of Manorbier, Wales. She leaves behind four grandchildren: Michael Velez of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and his wife, Kathryn; Rebecca Smith of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and her husband, Jordan Smith; Alexandra Patterson of Rueil-Malmaison, France; and Andrew Patterson of Orange, California. She also had five great-grandchildren: Kylie and Lillian Velez, and Jack, Emilee, and Claire Smith, all of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
A memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m. at Ocker-Putman Funeral Home, 4500 Jenny Lind Road, Fort Smith, Arkansas.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
She was born Patricia Margaret Tuffs on March 18, 1933, in London, England. As a child, she lived through the Blitz, the Nazi's World War II air campaign that resulted in almost nightly bombing on the inhabitants of London. Patricia's father and grandfather were killed in 1941 in one of those attacks. She had two siblings: a sister, Doris, who died tragically at age 12 when struck by a car, and a beloved brother, Frankie, who died at his retirement home in Wales in 2019.
It was at a cousin's wedding in the early 1950s that Patricia met James Pate, a young U.S. serviceman who was stationed in England. They wed in 1955 and had their first child, Kimberley, in 1956. The family then moved to James' home state of Arkansas in time for the birth of their second child, Kendal, in 1959.
The Fort Smith home was a dramatic change for big-city girl Patricia, but she quickly came to love the state and her new country, and in the late 1980s, she became a proud U.S. citizen. She never lost her English accent, however, and it continued to charm all those she met for her entire life.
In 1964, the couple successfully started their own business, Arkansas Seat Cover Company. It passed down through three generations of the family and is now run by their grandson Michael Velez. In the late 1960s, the family moved from their Fort Smith home to Vista Hills in Van Buren, where their third child, Christopher, was born in 1970. When a tornado destroyed the house in 1996, Patricia and James moved to their family farm in Lavaca, where Patricia lived until nursing care became necessary in 2023.
Patricia was known for her quick wit, elegance, intelligence, and for her very British stiff upper lip. She enjoyed gardening, traveling, all types of needlework, and whipping up traditional dinners such as "pie and mash" for the family.
She is survived by daughter Kimberley Velez of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and son-in-law Ricardo Velez; daughter Kendal Patterson of Carlsbad, California, and son-in-law Don Patterson; son Christopher Pate of Van Buren, Arkansas, and daughter-in-law Crystal Pate; and a sister-in-law, Barbara Tuffs of Manorbier, Wales. She leaves behind four grandchildren: Michael Velez of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and his wife, Kathryn; Rebecca Smith of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and her husband, Jordan Smith; Alexandra Patterson of Rueil-Malmaison, France; and Andrew Patterson of Orange, California. She also had five great-grandchildren: Kylie and Lillian Velez, and Jack, Emilee, and Claire Smith, all of Fort Smith, Arkansas.
A memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m. at Ocker-Putman Funeral Home, 4500 Jenny Lind Road, Fort Smith, Arkansas.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.