Pat was born in St. Louis, Missouri to Weltha & Edger Yost. Her younger years were spent there and Memphis, Tennessee before moving to Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Highland Park High School 3rd in her class, then went to SMU. Pat was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority as well as many academic honor societies while in college. She met Jim Alexander on a blind date her senior year before graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics degree. They married on October 3, 1953 in Dallas. Work took them to Tyler, Texas where during a 10 year stay they started their family. All 3 of their daughters were born in Tyler before moving west to Midland. During the next 20 years, Pat continued to create a strong foundation for her 3 girls emphasizing the importance of relationships with family, community, church, and friends. She lived her life as if those things were all the same entity. Pat was a Girl Scout leader for many years, she created fun family traditions and spent endless hours volunteering. The 5 sets of neighbors all ended up in Lakeway where their friendship became like family for the past 55 years. Pat & Jim came to Lakeway via Stockton, California. Once here Pat began volunteering at the Lakeway Community Library. She spent every Thursday there creating relationships and sharing her love of all things literature. She was an avid reader and was in several book clubs. When she wasn’t reading or playing golf she kept busy knitting and crocheting. Her knitting group made beanies for preemies and newborns at the hospital, hats & scarves for Special Olympics and children in need. Combining Pat’s love of geography, inspired by her 7th grade teacher, and her love of books, they continued to travel domestically and abroad. Luckily they had friends that they could create memories with along the way. Pat loved to meet new people and believed getting involved wherever she was to be important. This made the move to Belmont Village 4 years ago an easy one. She loved being a part of the community there. Since she no longer traveled, she would listen to the residents and staff, talk about where they were from and their travels, then go look at her many maps and books to learn more. She enjoyed going to all the various activities, events, outings with her friends at Belmont and she put together LOTS of puzzles these last 4 years. As long as she was around people, she was happy. Her smile was warm and genuine just like her heart.
Pat is preceded in death by her parents and by Jim, her husband of 65 years. She is survived by all 3 daughters; Ann Figueroa and her husband, Adolfo; Sara Alexander; Susie Vandever and her husband, Richard. She was very proud of all 5 grandchildren: Stacie Humphreys and her husband, Clint; Alex and Leslie Gieb; Grant and Morgan Vandever; also 3 great grandkids: Hudson, Colton & Weston. Equally important are her Midland friends that are considered family: Shirley Cooper, Sue & John McFarland, Ann Snow, Chuck & Rita Petter.
Memorials may be made to Lake Travis Community Library, 1936 Lohmans Crossing, Austin 78734 or to Children’s Art and Literacy Festival (CALF) thru Abilene Cultural Affairs Council @ Abilenecac.org, 1101 North 1st St. Abilene, Tx 79601.
