Patricia (Pat) O'Neal Coventry

Patricia Grace (O’Neal) Coventry (Pat), passed away at home early Saturday morning, December 21, 2024. She was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee May 20, 1944, to Paul and Lucille O’Neal. She grew up in a loving family who were active members of Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga. After graduating from Chattanooga City High School in 1962 she attended Howard College (now Samford University) in Birmingham, Alabama and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Chattanooga (UC, now part of the University of Tennessee system) in 1966. She was a founding member Chi Omega sorority at Howard and later chosen for the Crescent Court of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity at UC. There she met her husband, John. They were married in April 1965 and would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in just four months.

Pat lovingly supported John during his 23-year Army career, living in New Jersey, Virginia, California, and with several assignments to Fort Sam Houston where John retired in 1988. She was always active in military wives’ clubs wherever they were assigned, and it was there her gift of hospitality was first ignited. Pat and John had two daughters – April, born at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio and Christy, born at Fort Ord, California.

As the girls got older, Pat became a proficient events planner for a San Antonio corporate meeting planning company. Her natural knack for organization and hospitality resulted in multiple creative and impressive private events, tours and parties in San Antonio and even on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and with Bob Hope in Los Angeles, California.

All the family were active members of Trinity Baptist Church where Pat and John served for more than 45 years. Together they taught the first teenage co-ed Sunday school class at Trinity. But the highlight of Pat’s service there was in 1992 being asked to establish the church’s 24-hour prayer ministry which she led for more than 10 years, eventually becoming a member of the church staff. That ministry continues today. One of her greatest gifts was seeing the giftedness in others and her ministry allowed her to encourage others well. She also maintained the prayer concern list for the Chapel-Unity Bible Study Class where she and John were members for many years. Her prayer lists distributed to the class always contained appropriate Scripture and inspirational readings.

Pat loved Bible study, participating in Bible Study Fellowship for many years as a member, a discussion leader and then class administrator. She loved reading, cooking and traveling with John whenever possible during his next career. Highlights of their travel included Germany, Hawaii, and Washington, DC. Her favorite spot on earth outside of home was the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, in the National Cathedral in Washington where she spent time in prayer as often as she could.

Pat loved her family dearly, especially her four grandchildren – Ben Milam (23), Sean Kuper (22), Max Milam (21) and Kate Kuper (19) who knew her only as “Gigi.” A highlight of Pat’s year was the annual family beach trip to Port Aransas where she could be together with those she loved most.

Pat was kind, loving and a bright ray of sunshine even when dealing with the physical problems of Parkinson’s disease, severe hearing loss and other conditions. As someone wrote, “The world is a sadder place today.” And no husband ever had such a perfect life partner – their two hearts beat as one.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Thomas Paul O’Neal. Jr.

Pat is survived by her dearly beloved and loving husband John, Daughters April Kuper (Darren), Christy Milam, and grandchildren Kate and Sean Kuper, and Ben and Max Milam.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Prayer Ministry, Trinity Baptist Church, 319 East Mulberry Ave, 78212, or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research.

The family plans a private burial service at Fort Sam Houston. On Saturday, February 15, 2025, a memorial service will be at Trinity Baptist Church Sanctuary at 10:00 a.m., near the 32nd anniversary of the Prayer Ministry to which she was so committed and cherished so very deeply. A reception will follow.