Elsie "Pat" Pearl Addy

The youngest of six children, Elsie was born in Merkel, Texas on March 15, 1922, to Robert Hudson Mathews and Sarah Catherine Veech Mathews. By 1922, the family had relocated to Merkel from the farm near Buffalo Gap, allowing Elsie to be raised with the social benefits of town life. Elsie, her sister Thelma, and friend Frances formed the popular Bachelorette Trio, singing popular classics and gospel favorites of the time on KRBC radio. In the high school debate club, Elsie specialized in dramatic readings. Part time, she worked in the local newspaper office learning to type and edit. High school passed in good form.

Her future husband, Noel Douglas Addy, from Chandler, AZ, trained as an Army Air Corp Glider Pilot near Merkel. Arranged by Elsie’s mother, they met and dated in Merkel, and eventually married at the Wee Kirk O’ the Heather in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 14, 1943. After World War II, Noel’s career in the Air Force developed, with their family growing by three children – Patricia Catherine, Noel Douglas Jr, and Michael Hudson.

Noel was eventually assigned to Davis Monthan in 1962, and they remained in Tucson. The family was active at 22nd Street Baptist Church. Elsie taught Sunday School, led in the Women’s Missionary Union, and was key in the team that brought a television ministry to 22nd Street. She got her real estate license in April of 1969, at a time when women Real Estate agents were a novelty. She made a great career of it over the next few decades!

Travel was a central feature of life for Noel and Elsie, starting with Noel’s change of stations over his career. Retirement did not change that. Summing up the times they were visiting family stationed somewhere in the world, traveling with friends, or on a mission trip, there are not many places in the world they have not been.

Elsie is survived by her sons Noel Douglas (Shelley) Addy Jr, and Michael Hudson (Katherine) Addy; her grandchildren Douglas Paul (Clarissa) Kline; David Michael Kline; Noel Douglas Addy III; Matthew David (Karen) Addy; Sarah Katherine (Chris) Arnold; Scott Michael (Jess) Addy; David Joshua (Erin) Addy; Bethany Margaret Addy; and great grandchildren, Kaylee Osea Kline; Rylie Osea Kline; Ezra Hudson Arnold; Oliver Daniel Arnold; and Emmett Joseph Addy.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Hudson and Sarah Catherine Mathews; her mother-in-law, Hattie Belle Addy; husband, Noel Douglas Addy, Sr; her daughter, Patricia Catherine Kline; her son in law, Lawrence L. Kline and Elsie’s five siblings.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.