Mary Patricia Gwyn "Pat" Woltz

Patricia Gwyn Woltz

Mary Patricia "Pat" Gwyn Woltz died unexpectedly and peacefully at her home on Wednesday, September 14, 2011, on her birthday. Pat was born in Waynesville, North Carolina, and attended the Waynesville City Schools, St. Mary's Episcopal College in Raleigh, and graduated from Randolph-Macon in Lynchburg, Virginia, with a degree in economics. Shortly after graduation she married John Elliott Woltz Sr. and moved to Mount Airy where they raised their family. Pat Woltz quickly became involved in many church and community activities giving generously and freely of her time and many talents. Pat Gwyn Woltz was a civic leader, a well-known artist, and a generous and often anonymous philanthropist.

Pat was an active member of Central United Methodist Church serving for almost forty years as beloved teacher of the Pacesetters Class, having taught this class just this past Sunday. She has served on the Board of Trustees, Administrative Board, and up until her death she served as Church Treasurer, and Co-Chairman of the Anne Clark Circle of the United Methodist Women serving in this capacity for the past twelve years. In the year 2000, Pat was awarded the Laity Service Award, presented annually in recognition of "humble service in response to the call of Jesus Christ". She served in many areas of the life of the church, including the Bereavement Committee, planning meals and serving families in any way she could. Pat was a Board Member of the Mount Airy Museum of History, American Red Cross, and had assisted her husband in raising funds for the Museum as well as the construction of the Red Cross building. Pat was a strong supporter of the Boy Scout Troop 596 of Central United Church. She had been a member of the Entre Nous Book Club since coming to Mount Airy 1947 and more recently the Community Book Club. Pat served twenty-three years on Crossroads, the Surry County Board of Mental Health. She was a supporter of the Simple Living project. She also helped initiate the Surry County Health and Nutrition Center and was a member of the Surry Community College Foundation Board Emeritus. She was on the Board of Trustees of The Children's Home in Winston-Salem and served on the United Fund Board. In 1992 she was awarded the Governor's Award for Volunteer Community Service and in 2003 she was awarded the 2002 Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award. In 1983, as a result of many requests, she started an art business selling original watercolor paintings, note cards and Limited Edition Prints of her work in gift shops and at arts and crafts shows. Her artwork reflected her love of the mountains, family life and all of nature. A tiny bunny rabbit can be found in each piece of her artwork. A successful gardener, many people will miss the vegetables and fruits she generously shared with others. Her gifts of homemade bread were legendary as was the custard she made for anybody she learned was not feeling well. She loved to can and freeze food so she could continue to share her homegrown produce out of season.

Daughter of the late Hilda Way and Thomas Lenoir Gwyn, Pat is survived by four sons and a daughter, John Elliott Woltz Jr. of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, James Lenoir Woltz of Roanoke, Virginia, Howell Way Woltz of Advance, North Carolina, Thomas Lenoir Woltz of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Mary Gwyn Woltz of New York, New York; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The members of her Sunday School class will serve as ushers and honorary pallbearers. A memorial service in celebration of her life will be held at Central United Methodist Church, North Main Street, Mount Airy, North Carolina, 3 p.m. Saturday, September 17, 2011. The family invites all of Pat's friends to participate in a traditional covered dish supper in her honor in the church fellowship hall immediately after the service.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Pat's honor to Central United Methodist Church of Mount Airy, North Carolina, Surry Community College of Dobson, North Carolina, or the Woltz Symposium, School of Architecture Foundation of University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.