Patricia Jo Bays

Patricia was born to Thomas John and Ruth Augusta (Marston) McKnight on May 28, 1936, in Indianola, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of three siblings, her brother Charles Edwin McKnight, and her sister Peggy Ann (McKnight) Grant. While growing up in Ada, Oklahoma she loved animals, played the piccolo, acted in her senior year play, and was a majorette. She was a very loved, beautiful, and intelligent lady.

Patricia married Perry B. Buzzy Summers in 1956 and they had one child, Kathryn Ruth. Patricia remarried in 1962 to Charles R. Bays and remained married until his death in 2005. Patricia was a dedicated and loving mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

She graduated from East Central University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and completed 2 years of law school after moving from Oklahoma to California. She spent 49 years of her career as a legal assistant specializing in probate law. The attorneys she worked with all agreed that her knowledge of probate was unsurpassed, that even the judges sought her advice on many probate issues.

In her spare time, she loved to bake, watch sports, garden, and crochet beautiful throws for family, friends and veterans; she was very talented at whatever she put her efforts toward. Her smile, humor, opinions, and wit endeared her to many. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but we take comfort knowing she has eternal life, and we will see her again in the kingdom of heaven.

Patricia joins in heaven her parents, Thomas and Ruth, her brother Charles, sister Peggy, and her spouses. She is survived by her daughter Kathryn Fernando, son-in-law Steven Fernando, her two grandchildren Scott C. Lackey and Tabitha Jo Kathryn Lackey (Direck Watkins), four great grandchildren Aubrie, Jacob, Mila and Nahla, several nephews and their families.

We would like to thank the staff at Hoffmann Hospice for the wonderful care they provided.

Services will be announced later.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hillcrestmemorial.com for the Bays family.