Patsy Stanford Swilley Latham came into this world on December 7, 1935, born to Ernest and Opal Stanford of Jaywye, MO. She slipped away on May 28, 2018, at Spring Hill, TN. Family and friends cherish the time in between. She loved and was loved.
Pat was smart and determined, fair-minded and resourceful. She was a person who could have made the trains run on time. She settled for keeping the books at North Mississippi Regional Center. They balanced.
She never met a fish she didn’t want to catch, a game she couldn’t win, or a puzzle she couldn’t solve. She never let herself – or anyone else – be bored. She loved reading and the beach. She enjoyed the thrill of finding unexpected treasures, whether it was a seashell or a bargain. She thought the sight of a deer was a good omen. She believed we should each listen to our own intuition.
She taught those of us she left behind to find beauty and happiness in small things. To enjoy each moment. To stand on our own two feet. To trust everybody, but to always cut the cards. To vote for ourselves. She also taught us not to whine and not to nag; her in-laws and grandchildren are grateful to her for that.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Latham, and an infant son, Larry Swilley. She is missed and survived by her sister Natalie (Irvin) Griffith and nephew Stanford; children, Terry (Kathy) Swilley, Diane (Ron) Cobb, Debbie (Stan) Hunter, and Anita (Rick) Brown; grandchildren, Kelly, Andy, Meghan, Kasey, Jesse, Luke and Annie Laurie, nine great grandchildren, and Arbors at Willow Springs staff and residences. Reflections of her are found in each one of us.
She was a wonderful combination of grace and strength, kindness and practicality. She was lovely.
Her funeral service was May 30 at Bradshaw Funeral Home in Malden, Mo.