Patricia was born on March 28, 1930, and was reared with great love by her parents Lillian and Walter Graff. She learned her elegance and style from her mother, and from her father, she was gifted a great sense of humor and wit.
Patricia primarily grew up in Crescent, Oklahoma. She always spoke fondly of her time there, and the house her father built her with a patio, and a barn for her pony. In Crescent, Patricia trained as a concert pianist and developed a profound, lifelong love of music. During her early adolescence, her family moved to Long Beach, California, because her parents were both shipbuilders during the War. In Long Beach, Patricia became involved in theater. Even though she considered herself an introvert, she said that she always felt at home on the stage, and likely would have pursued the arts had they stayed on the West Coast. In every home until her last one, Patricia owned a baby grand piano. In her last home, Patricia had a beautiful Kohler & Campbell console piano, which she donated to the Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Owasso, where she worshipped during her years there.
The year after graduating from Crescent High School, Patricia met her future husband Donald Leon Batchelor when he returned from the service to his country in World War II, through his brother Kenneth who was Patricia’s classmate. Patricia and Donald were married on November 27, 1949, and began their married life in Virginia. They were married over 66 years, until he passed in October 2016. Together, they reared two children, Christopher Leon and Lu Ann, both of whom predeceased Patricia.
Patricia is survived by three granddaughters and their families. Brooke Elizabeth Whistler, her husband Kyle, and their children Regan and Brett. Tracy Patricia Butler, her husband Christopher, and their children Madison and Jack. Coleen Lindsay Henderson, her husband Jeff, and their son Owen. In addition, Patricia is also survived by her sisters-in-law Polly (Kenneth) of Tulsa, and Bonnie (Robert) of Owasso, whom she loved dearly like sisters. For many years in Owasso, she was best friends with Judy Rodriguez. Together, they shared “divine conversations” of hymns and praise. Patricia was also greatly loved and will be greatly missed by her daughter-in-law Cydney Batchelor Strickland (James) and beloved friend Marian Ganter, all of Washington, by her Owasso neighbors, and by the bunco ladies.
Patricia and Donald found great joy in the times they spent socializing and playing bridge with their friends, traveling, and enjoying time with their wonderful families. When Patricia and Donald made friends, they treasured them for life; they were blessed to have friends across the entire country, including Shirley Lane (Nebraska) and Jodi and Bill Roberts (Hawaii). They were avid travelers, and journeyed across the United States several times, with trips to Niagara Falls, on Fall leaf tours along the East coast, and to destinations farther away, like Hawaii, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Rio de Janeiro. Their favorite places were Grand Lake, Hilton Head, Hawaii, California, and in the homes of their friends and families. For the last eight months of her life, Patricia lived in the Indianapolis area near her granddaughters Brooke and Tracy and their families, where she enjoyed daily visits from them all, and with Coleen from Ohio.
To all who knew her, Patricia was the epitome of grace and fortitude in dark times. Shebelieved that her ability to abide adversity came from having to weather many serious childhood illnesses prior to the invention and wide use of penicillin in the mid-1940’s. When Donald had his first heart attack in his late twenties, Patricia returned to school and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees to support the family until he regained his health. Because daughter Lu Ann had been diagnosed with a genetic condition in her infancy that rendered her developmentally disabled, Patricia’s degrees were in special education. When Donald decided to become an independent businessman, and times were difficult financially, Patricia supported his efforts unconditionally and without complaint, including moving from Crescent to Virginia, to Oklahoma City, to Dallas, to Tulsa, and ultimately to Owasso. In each locale, the home she created was curated with exquisite furnishings, and was a quiet oasis of beauty and peace for all she graciously welcomed in. For her homes, Patricia handstitched beautiful embroidery and was a gifted sewist and quilter.
In her later years, after losing her son Christopher to a brain tumor, and then Donald, Patricia turned to her love of travel to help sustain her, twice visiting Paris to revel in its beautiful gardens, museums, and architecture. In her 75th year, Patricia turned her love of homes into becoming a licensed real estate broker. In addition, Patricia was never without a plethora of books in a panoply of genres, even asking in her last brief hospitalization that her coffee table book be taken to her. Nor was Patricia ever without a pet to love, from her first pony, goat, and bat in her childhood, through her last puppy Lilly. On her 93rd birthday in the hospital, Patricia celebrated with her favorite lemon crème cake and a visit from Lilly and family. When she passed peacefully a week later, she was surrounded by her granddaughters and their families, who shed tears of gratitude and love for the cherished woman they were privileged to call “Nana Bird.”
To the end, Patricia remained a charming and intelligent conversationalist, incredibly beautiful, and serenely composed. Of her life, she said “Although I have had a hard life at times, it has been a good one.” In the words of two favorite hymns she loved to sing, “Because he lives, I can face tomorrow; because he lives, all fear is gone; because I know he holds the future, life is worth the living … When sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul.”
After a graveside service, Patricia will be interred on Monkey Island at Grand Lake, where she spent so many happy hours with family and friends she loved. In lieu of flowers, Patricia has requested that donations be made in Lu Ann’s honor, to the Home of Hope in Vinita, Oklahoma.
