Patricia Nell Mowat Garland

Patricia Nell Mowat Garland was born to Iva Nell (Bennett) and Oliver C. Mowat, Jr., in Dallas, Texas, the oldest of 5 children. She began her life in immediate adversity but persevered, achieved, and triumphed. Her life was one of love, service, and inspiration to many. A graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, she attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, but moved on to work in Christian Education in Kingsville. It was there she met her future husband, Roger Garland, when he installed her telephone line. Eventually, she moved to San Antonio and worked for Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She joined Central and became an active presence there for the rest of her life. She married Roger in 1968, and later had their only child, Jennifer Nell, choosing at that time to stay home to care for her.

Pat was never still in body nor in mind. She sold Tupperware, campaigned for local candidates, worked with homebound church members, served as president of many PTAs, led Girl Scout troops and youth groups, and drove carpools. She also began a new career in puppetry. She founded her own Family Tree Puppet Company where she and Jenny would travel to put on shows for birthday parties, businesses, and corporate events. She helped innovate the educational puppetry program at the Institute of Texas Cultures, creating custom puppets, writing scripts, and voicing characters. She made school mascots, theatrical costumes, and was the best artificial beard applier for church Maundy Thursday productions.

When their daughter went off to college, she decided to finish her undergraduate degree, eventually graduating from OLLU with an MSW at the age of 50. Pat found her real career and calling as a therapist for CentroMed, later rising to the position of Behavioral Health Director. She loved being a therapist, working with clients from children to the elderly. She was an invaluable advisor to many counselors working on their certification. After 25 years of good work, she officially retired, but, in spirit never really did.

Around 2000, Pat made the decision to travel and became a world explorer, eventually visiting all 7 continents, riding a camel in front of the pyramids in Egypt, walking on the Great Wall of China, going to many European locations from Prague to Scotland to Italy, and even circling Australia. She’d set a goal, save up for it, and book the cruise or trip. Roger, not one for travel, went on some of her adventures, but many she took with her dear friend Carolyn. In more recent years, Jenny, her husband Dennis, and especially her dear, beloved grandson Cullen became her traveling entourage. Cullen would room with her on cruises, and they would stay in and order desserts from room service.

She served on mission trips in Ecuador, and attended a friend’s wedding in Taiwan. She had to see the bridge from TV’s Texas Country Reporter, Niagara Falls, Lake Tahoe, Antartica, and Mt. Rushmore. She kissed Roger in the Kissing Alley in San Luis Potosí, released a turtle in Acapulco, and saw the Monarchs of Michoacán. She rode an airboat in the Everglades, saw glaciers in Alaska, Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, and the Grand Canyon. She was chauffeured by her family through Needles Highway, and witnessed a bison stampede at Custer State Park. She rode in a hot air balloon in New Mexico just because she always wanted to. This is a short list–she saw so, so much of this beautiful, historic, complex world that filled her heart with more love of others. For every place she saw, her list of places she wanted to see grew. She was disappointed that she never rode a zipline or jumped out of an airplane.

One of Pat’s best traits was “adopting” people. She learned everyone’s names and taught her family to respect the importance and value of every human being, from custodians and laborers, to helpers and leaders. She had kindness and love for all of humanity in her whole heart. She remembered birthdays and never missed sending a card for Halloween, Easter, Valentine’s and St. Patrick’s Days to nieces and nephews, and friends’ children and grandchildren. She was worried about missing birthdays, even while she was sick in the hospital.

She’s known as Mimi to her only biological grandchild and her pride and delight, Cullen Bennett Gray; Aunt Pat and Great Aunt Pat to her nieces, nephews and their kids; Koko Pat to “adopted” family friends and their children; Texas Grandma to another “adopted” family, and Grandma Pat to so many friends. Cousins still lovingly call her Patsy. She was big sister to Oliver C. Mowat, III, whom she called Bubba. She called her son-in-law, Dennis Gray, son-in-love. She loved her dear husband of 57 years, Roger, her Rog, through thick and thin.

She has left behind a host of family and friends who will always love and remember her. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Martha Mowat, her brother Michael Mowat, and her sister Laura Mowat Sanchez.

As she got older and things became more difficult for her, she would get discouraged but then muster up her strength and resolve. If her family said they didn’t think whatever she wanted to do was a good idea, she’d say “watch me.” And that truly was her spirit.

Pat was antiracist, anti-homophobic, pro-immigrant, and truly believed a Christian is meant to love everyone. She was an original volunteer at the SAMM shelter, served CAM, volunteered thousands of hours for the church, and the denomination (Disciples of Christ). She served on the board for Central in every imaginable capacity over the years, including deacon, elder, and chair of Outreach, and taught Sunday school to children and adults for decades. She was a longtime member of the board for Disciples Outreach to the Mentally Ill (DOMI), and the board of San Antonio Westside’s Inman Christian Center. She was a go-to person for information, resources, and prayer for so many.

Pat used to tell Jenny that you can’t fix the whole world, but you can work hard to make your corner better. She worked so very hard. She also often quoted the last lines of Edna St. Vincent Milay’s poem. “My candle burns at both ends; / It will not last the night; / But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends— / It gives a lovely light!" She was the brightest of lights and will be sorely missed.

Pat was generous in everything she did. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, please choose a charity to support with your time or money in her memory. If you aren’t certain of one, Central Christian Church has a college fund for which she served on the management committee and loved to support. Regardless of what you do, do it with love. She would approve.

A celebration of her life will be held at Central Christian Church, 720 N. Main Ave, San Antonio, Texas, 78205, on Saturday, January 17, at 1:30PM.