Obituary: Patricia Gray Findley
S_Newton -- Patricia Gray Findley was born to Maretta
Forster Gray and William Gray on Nov. 11, 1926, in Albia, Iowa. She grew up on
the family farm near Albia and attended country school. At the age of 11, her
father was killed in a tragic wood saw accident. The reality of the accident
changed her life dramatically and the shock of it had a lifelong impact.
Pat and her mother were forced to sell the family farm and
move in with her maternal grandparents. Pat adjusted to a life of few material
possessions, but lots of love. She graduated from Albia High School and
attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines, Iowa.
On Dec. 10, 1944, Pat married Donald Findley of Lovilia. Don
and Pat lived in Des Moines for the first few months of their marriage, where
Pat worked as a bookkeeper and Don worked for Iowa Pack. Small towns and the
urge to farm were too great, and they returned to the Lovilia area and began
farming.
Starting with 75 acres, they eventually grew their farming
operation to several hundred acres. Pat was as integral a part of the farming
operation as Don. When Don died suddenly in 1985, Pat (age 58 at the time) took
on the farming operation by herself and continued to operate the farm until
2002.
In 2002, Pat moved to Hesston to be near her daughter,
Billie Christine Roth “Chris” and all Pat’s grandchildren and
great-grandchildren, who represented Pat’s entire blood family. She remained in
the house she purchased then until her death and was granted her wish to die in
her own home.
Pat was involved in many other activities outside of
farming. Pat and Don were avid square dancers and wherever a square dance could
be found, chances were good that Don and Pat would be there and that Don would
be calling the dance. When Don died, Pat continued to square dance and became a
caller herself and a member of the Central Iowa Caller’s Association.
Pat was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren Church
and later the United Methodist Church when those two groups merged. She served
as both district and state treasurer for the United Methodist Women for several
years. In her later years she served as a volunteer at the Hesston Resource
Center, as well as numerous other church and civic groups.
Pat is survived by her daughter, Chris Roth (Jim) of
Hesston; four grandchildren, Renee Ewert (Jon) of Hesston, Derek Roth (Kris) of
Hesston, Ryan Roth (Regina) of Golden, Colo., and Brandon Roth of Manhattan;
and nine great-grandchildren, Titus, Kayla and Angela Ewert of Hesston,
Benjamin, Lucas, Elijah and Josiah Roth of Hesston, and Wendy and Jenny Roth of
Golden, Colo.
Pat was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Donald
Albert Findley, and her parents.
The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, March 3,
2013, at the Hesston United Methodist Church, with family visitation following
the service. Burial will be in Lovilia, Iowa, at a later time.
Memorials may be made to the Hesston Area Senior Center,
Hesston Resource Center, or the Harry and Amanda Diener Scholarship Fund at
Hesston College, in care of Miller-Ott Funeral Home, 107 S. Lancaster, P.O. Box
32, Hesston, KS 67062.
