Patsy Lee (Anderson) Watson Herring

Patsy was born on August 31, 1931, at home outside of Rule, Texas to Elijah Chisom Anderson and Mary Lottie Tate Mankins. Each had been widowed, E.C. with six children and Lottie with two daughters. She was doted on by all her half-siblings and had a wonderful childhood.

Her father passed away when she was fifteen months old. Her mother was a practical nurse and traveled to various homes helping those in need, so she was gone much of the time. Patsy’s half-brother, Kenneth Anderson, married her half-sister, Dovie Mankins, and they raised her as their own child, and she considered them her parents. (Oh, how she loved watching the look on people’s faces when she shared, “This is my half-brother, Kenneth. And this is my half-sister, Dovie. And this is their child, Bill Terry.”) For a short time she lived in California with her mother and her sister, Verna’s family.

In Texas she attended schools in Rochester, New Cook, Rule, and Brownfield. She returned to Rule the summer before the eleventh grade. At a party that summer, she saw Edward Watson, whom she knew from childhood. (He liked to share that as a kid, when asked who he would marry, he always said, “Patsy Lee Anderson.”) Once reacquainted, he didn’t let the boy who brought her to the party take her home. During that school year she would often sit with Tommy Herring during Algebra class, but after school she was always with Edward. In January of 1948 Edward went to Ft. Worth looking for a job. On Friday, January 23rd Patsy came home from school and was surprised that Edward was back. That evening he told her they were going to get married and move to Ft. Worth. It was quite a shock, but she readily agreed, and was thrilled when he surprised her with a simple gold wedding band. They married the next day, January 24, 1948, and their wedding night was spent on a bus, driving through a blizzard from Rule to Ft. Worth. She was 16 and he was 18. They were blessed with three daughters, Leasa Jane, Lana Jean, and Kayla Jo, and had a loving marriage until he passed away on September 24, 1995, after 47 years of marriage.

Patsy was happiest in her kitchen. She loved cooking and had the ability to go into anyone’s kitchen and whip up a meal with amazing ease. She was known for her cream pies. She’d make coconut and pineapple but was best known for her delicious chocolate pie. At her table a meal would often consist of one or two meats, no less than three vegetables, potatoes, and a salad. And the meal would be followed by peach cobbler, chocolate chip cookies or one of her pies.

When she wasn’t cooking, Patsy was “twisting hair.” As a young child, during recess, a teacher watched Patsy do finger waves on a friend’s hair and was stunned. She told another teacher, “Would you just look at that? Patsy is making perfect finger waves on that child’s hair.” In 1960 Patsy graduated from Isbell’s University of Beauty Culture and soon opened her own beauty shop. She often started at six in the morning, fixing teacher’s hair, and would work until seven or eight o’clock at night. Rarely did she ever turn anyone away. She wanted to

be sure she was available for clients, regardless of the time or day. Through the years she owned several shops (Patsy’s Beauty Shop, Witches Hut, and The Hair Pen). In 1996 she retired and closed her shop but continued to fix a few longtime clients’ hair in her home.

Once retired she began to travel. She went on bus trips to the northeast with her church. With her sister Dovie, they drove to the Grand Canyon and to visit their sister, Verna, in California. With Leasa, she flew to California and took a train to San Francisco. With her sister-in-law Louise Selman, she took cruises to the Holy Land, Greek Isles, and Hawaii. She loved going to Minnesota with Kayla and her family to be with the Marnach family, who welcomed her with open arms and came to love her dearly and her good southern cooking. She just loved meeting new people, seeing new sights, and having new experiences. She never met a stranger.

In 2004, she reconnected with Tommy Herring, after learning that his wife had passed away in June. Both had taken care of their critically ill spouses until their death, so they had a lot in common. Tommy came to her home on October 4th and they married seventeen days later, October 21, 2004, after their first meeting in forty-one years. It was a blessing in life neither thought they’d have. And once their children got over the initial shock of their short courtship, they became extremely close.

Tommy and Patsy had a wonderful marriage. They enjoyed going to church, playing lots of games of Phase 10 and Rummikub. When they weren’t playing games, Patsy loved to read, often into the wee hours of the morning. When it became difficult for Patsy to get around, Tommy looked after her with love and devotion.

After 17 years of marriage, when Tommy passed away on July 4, 2022, Patsy moved into her “little apartment” at Hilltop Park Rehabilitation and Care Center and had the best care anyone could ask for. She was greatly loved by the staff and enjoyed playing dominoes with the other residents. David, a dear friend from church brought her watermelon every week it was in season. Her daughter, Leasa to care of her every need, making sure she never wanted for anything. No mother could have received better care than what Leasa did for her.

One constant that ran through Patsy’s life was her faith in God. She was a longtime member of the Church of Christ. Everyone enjoyed hearing her beautiful soprano voice. She loved studying her Bible and learning as much as she could about Jesus. Her faith gave her comfort and strength through all the ups and downs in life and was ever ready to share her faith with everyone. But she didn’t have to preach or push, she walked her faith. She walked the talk and her life impacted others beyond what she would ever know.

She was met in heaven by her parents, her loving husbands, her precious daughter Lana, and all her siblings.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving daughters Leasa (husband Jack) Powell, Kayla (husband John) Marnach.

Grandchildren Geoff Carpenter, Kevin (wife Corri) Robinson, Keith (wife Stephanie) Robinson, Kami (husband TJ) Blease, and Kara (husband Zach) Hogeda.

Great-grandchildren Treena Carpenter, Dylan Carpenter, Chase (husband Nathan) Hutson, Kade Robinson, Brooke (husband Jimmy) Apostol, Austin (wife Cheyenne) Robinson, Nick Robinson, and Beckett Hogeda, who was born on her ninety-second birthday this year.

Great-great grandchildren Olliver Carpenter, Reed Apostol, and Emersyn Robinson.

Stepchildren Judy (husband Mark) House, Randy (wife Inga) Herring, Eddy (wife Melody) Herring, and their sweet families.