Patsy "Pat" Jane (Dunn) Kellogg Roller

Patsy Jane Dunn, the 7th child of Esdel and Lula Kate Dunn, was born August 21, 1936, on a farm near Harrisburg, Arkansas. She died peacefully at her home in Norman, Oklahoma, surrounded by family on April 15, 2023, at 86.

Pat was a country girl her entire life. She helped her father care for 5,000 turkeys in their small hatchery as a child by turning the eggs in the incubator twice daily. While pretending to be a teacher during this chore, she noticed the turkey would fall asleep during her lectures. She vowed to create a different way to teach. Crusade set, Pat would join with others to create easy, inexpensive, high-interest earth science adventures for children across the globe.

She graduated, as Salutatorian, from Harrisburg High School in May 1954. At 18, she met and married Don Kellogg of Bristow, Oklahoma. They had three children together.

While raising children, Pat attended East Central State University of Ada, earning a B.S. in Education and a Master of Elementary Education. She taught "high-interest, hands-on" science in public schools for 40 years in Ada, Tulsa and Sand Springs, Oklahoma.

In those days her methodology was radical. Her busy, noisy, dynamic classroom resembled a jungle of plants, animals, reptiles, insects, and even an incubator students used to hatch and then raise chickens. She created science labs packed with equipment students used to "imagine and guess like Einstein" and then learned by designing and conducting experiments.

She was awarded "Teacher of the Year" for Oklahoma, The Presidential Award for Excellence in Science & Mathematics during those years. In 2008 she was inducted into East Central University, "Educators Hall of Fame ." She often held leadership positions in the Oklahoma Science Teacher Association, Network of Conservation Educators, K-12 National Network for Sustainability, Resource Commons, and After School Science for Kids.

In 1978 she married the love of her life, John E. Roller, Facilitator for Science for Tulsa Public Schools. After retiring from the classroom, she and John created a "Science Resource Center" for Tulsa Public Schools. She taught elementary science teachers and established a library of materials teachers could check out for their classrooms.

In those days, classrooms did not have science labs due to limited funding and a lack of belief in allowing students to imagine, guess, and even fail on their way to learning. Pat's crusade was to give everyone a chance to be a scientist, regardless of position. John and Pat’s "science kits" included everyday household items. These resources empowered educators to build labs where students could grow critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

She facilitated free workshops and classes for teachers nationwide. Educators learned to transform their classrooms into laboratories using essential household items. This sparked the interest, enthusiasm and imagination of students.

Many school principals can attest Pat strongly believed in "giving back" and "making a way out of no way." She felt that change comes from "grassroots" efforts from the bottom up.

Everywhere she lived, she created low-cost after-school programs and food pantries in her churches. She also volunteered with Treats for Troops, Eden Clinic, CRIO Ministries, and Oklahoma Youth Crisis Center.

At 73, she published her first book based on the character "Pink Hat." She said, "The economy tanked, global warming sent out its alarm, and too many young children spent much of their day in school doing rote memorization or at home watching T.V. and playing video games inside."

She and John combined the inexpensive, high-interest experiments they had honed for years in homemade school labs with an insatiably curious character she created using her favorite pink hat. Each book focuses on fun lessons encouraging children to learn about the planet by being outside exploring. Teachers received kits in free workshops. 95% of her 18,000 budding scientists rated the books "GREAT!"

In 2012 Pat and John launched a pilot math-science project for kids in five villages in Kenya. The curriculum teaches students science by learning to live off the land. Today there are 25 successful schools in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Tanzania, and Benin using her curriculum.

Pat attributed her success to God, optimism, enthusiasm, and hard work. Her family and colleagues also note her indomitable spirit.

When not crusading to save the planet and our vanishing critical thinking skills, Pat took great delight in her three children, eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pat's beloved husband, John, recently passed. Faithful to her strong will, Pat told her family the day after his life celebration she was "now ready to die." She passed in great peace and love two days later.

Pat is survived by her three children Donna Ashelford and partner Jason Andrade of Australia; Cindy Cason of Norman, OK; Gene Kellogg and wife Jennifer of Edmond, OK. Grandchildren include Kate, Becky, Andrew, Daniel, Jonathan, Sarah, Zac, and Elise, and great-grandchildren Temperance and Verity.

Join us in celebrating her life Friday, April 21, 2023, at 2 o'clock at Bridgeview United Methodist Church, 4300 W Indian Hills Road.

Pat asked that gifts be given to the Food Pantry at Crosspointe Church, 24th Avenue S.E. and Hwy. 9, Norman, Oklahoma 73071.