Patricia Ann (Griffiths) Haskins (87) of Houston, formerly of La Marque, passed away Tuesday, November 20, 2018.  Pat was born in Charleston, WV on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1930, weighing just 3 lbs when the turkey weighed 26.  She was the 3rd of 5 children of Carl Llewellyn Griffiths Sr. and Reba Dean (Hollandsworth) Griffiths and the only one her father got to name.  Pat was a preemie and not expected to survive but not only did she survive but she thrived.

Pat was a mischievous child and would tell the story of being set on the top of the principal’s bookcase as punishment in first grade.  She was a brilliant student and voted class wit in high school.  She graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School in Charleston in 1948.

She joked that for the longest time she was “the rich old maid aunt” and she happily spoiled her nieces and nephews.  In 1959 she came to visit her sister’s family that had just moved to Houston.  She said she decided she liked it so she went home, gave 2 weeks’ notice at her job, packed all her stuff in her car, and drove to Texas.  She lived with her sister for 6 months helping with her other nieces then got her first apartment off OST.

In early 1960 she and her mother were at a wedding and met another woman, they were the only three wearing hats and gloves.  The other woman wanted to introduce Pat to a young man who went to her church and worked with her husband.  Pat resisted for 4 months, but gave in and went on a blind date in August 1960 meeting the love of her life, Wesley Haskins.  She said she fell in love with his arms and would have married him right then.  They dated for 2 years often taking Lynn on dates with them dressed up in one of the many bridesmaids dresses Pat had worn over the years.  When Wes proposed she thought he was joking and wouldn’t speak to him for 2 weeks.  He sent her a post card every day with his bowling score or from the Seattle World’s Fair trip that he went on with his mother and a couple of her friends.  She finally did speak to him and they married October 5, 1962 at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in La Marque.

Pat was very active in her church and in the community.  She joined Beta Sigma Phi, an international women’s sorority focusing on life, learning, and friendship, in January 1952 in Charleston and was a paid for life member.  She served in many roles over the years attaining the Laureate degree and receiving the Order of the Rose.  One of her best friends was made through Beta Sigma Phi.  At St. Michael’s she was, at various times, a Sunday school teacher, member of the vestry, choir, and alter guild, and served as the Day School secretary for many years.  In preparation for the annual Spring Festival at the church you knew you were going to see her making thousands of confetti eggs.  And she could be counted on to deliver a midnight run of “special sauce” to the men BBQing the chickens the night before the Festival.  In later years Pat was active with Church Women United and the Texas City Day Nursery.

In the 80s Pat and Wes and their friends got season tickets to the Aggie football games and she spent many weekend in College Station thru the 2000 season.  Pat was always one to want to make everyone feel spoiled so when she traveled she always brought tons of food that she knew everyone would want or she’d pay for the food no matter what the event was.  She would let the grandkids eat things their moms wouldn’t.  She’d bring pounds of shrimp, little cocktail weenies and later on always had a supply of vanilla pudding on hand.  And she was known to serve her daughters and their sleep over buddies filet mignon and ice cream sundaes.  And her wit would always shine.  What other mother would take it in stride and let her kids plays tennis or roller skate – in the living room.  She was always trying to find a unique way to surprise some one when it came to gift time.  She once hid her great niece’s birthday money in a fully cooked rotisserie chicken.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Wesley Haskins, her parents Carl and Dean Griffiths and her siblings and sibling-in-laws Carl Griffiths Jr, Margaret (Griffiths) and Chet Yater, Eddie Cox, and Barbara Griffiths as well as a few nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Leslie Linsey of Sugar Land, Julie (Don) Carter of Cypress, and Lynn (Ren) Kent of Austin; grandchildren Tevye and Lauren Linsey, Nicole (Ryan) Albosta, Joshua Carter, Jennifer (Jeff) Frazier, and Sean (Rachel) Kent; and great-grandchildren Meghann (Zachary) Robinson, Alexandra (Michael) Bistline, and Arwen and Joopsey Addison.  She is also survived by her sister Jane Cox and brother John Griffiths both of Charleston, WV as well as many nieces and nephews.

Pall bearers will be Don Carter, Joshua Carter, Ryan Albosta, and Tom Strawmyer.

Visitation will be on Saturday, December 22, 2018 from 10am to 11am with the service immediately following at Crowder Funeral Home – La Marque with Father Bob Moore officiating.  Burial will follow at Grace Memorial Park Cemetery in Hitchcock.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your favorite school, church, organization, or charity.