Patty Sue Davis

She joins in heaven her loving husband Thomas Franklin Davis, Jr. and her sister Glenda Sanders Cammack. She is survived by her daughters Karen (Rand) Schleusener of Rapid City, SD and Ginny Davis of Centennial, CO.

She leaves behind four grandchildren– Kate (Simon), Tom (Isabelle), Marie, and Donovan– along with five great-grandchildren– August and Henry (Kate and Simon), Aurora and Florence (Tom and Isabelle), Melody (Marie), and innumerable nephews, great-nieces, and “honorary” Schleusener grandchildren.

Patty Sue was born in Port Arthur, Texas on December 26, 1935 to Decker Jackson Sanders and Hazel Stewart Sanders. Her father was a Baptist preacher and her mother a school teacher, and Patty attended 12 public schools in 11 years as her dad was posted to small churches around East Texas. She spoke fondly of “many sandy country roads, hot small churches with hard benches, fried chicken and wonderful cakes and pies at outdoor church luncheons.”

She met Tommy Davis in high school in Colmesneil, Texas, where they both graduated in 1953. Patty always said that she was the smartest in class until she started school with Tommy Davis in her Junior year. Legend states that after their first meeting, Tommy went home and told his grandma, “Miss Betty, I’ve found my girl.” They were married in 1956, and started their long life together supporting each others’ educations, careers, and family in Texas. They were married for 64 years and often said the best thing they had done together was raise their two daughters.

Patty graduated from Sam Houston State Teachers College with a bachelor’s (1956) and master’s degree (1959) in Music Education. She taught K-12 music in public schools in Huntsville, Houston, and Austin, Texas. She directed the Huntsville High School Chorale for 15 years, which was awarded first division honors by the Texas University Interscholastic League every year from 1969-1983, with several years being awarded the Sweepstakes honor.

After retiring from teaching in the public schools, she sang with the Houston Grand Opera chorus (“Madame Butterfly,” “The Magic Flute,” among others) from 1984-1994, was a member of the New York cast for the Nixon in China world premiere, and taught studio voice as an adjunct in the SHSU Music Department. Her husband Tom was a math professor for forty-seven years at SHSU, and they were both honored to be chosen as Distinguished Alumni by the SHSU Alumni Association and remained strong supporters of the school after retirement. Tom and Patty were members of the First United Methodist Church of Huntsville and members of the Chancel Choir for many years.

After retirement from singing and teaching in 1998, Patty had time to explore her second great passion of painting. She gravitated to vivid watercolors, as they lent themselves to florals with their transparency and unique beauty. She studied with some of the leading artists in the US at workshops, was a member of the Huntsville and Conroe Art League, and was a volunteer for the Wynne Home Arts Center. As she grew in skill, interest in her work also grew, and she began to work on frequent commissions, illustrated a children’s book, and was featured in several one-woman shows.

Patty and Tom finally left Texas and moved to the Windcrest Community in 2021 to be closer to their daughters. Patty used her skills of fast friend-making after her many moves in her younger years and forged many friendships in her short years there. She enjoyed chair yoga, bible study, card making, and many other activities with her new community. Patty joined St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch; their music programming brought her so much joy in the last few years of her life. In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations can be made in memory of Patty to the St. Andrew Music Program.

Please use the online giving platform by going to www.gostandrew.com/give, making a note in the memo that it is in memory of Patty and for the music ministry.

Alternatively, checks can be mailed to:

St. Andrew United Methodist Church

9203 S University Blvd

Highlands Ranch, CO 80126