Patricia Newton

1929 - 2024

Patricia Newton
08/08/1929 - 07/22/2024
Patricia W. Newton of Houston, Texas passed away peacefully on July 22, 2024, with her family by her side at the age of 94. She was born on August 8, 1929, in Monroe, Louisiana and grew up in Northeast La., Baton Rouge, La., and Houston, Texas where she attended and graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School.
She attended and graduated from Louisiana State University in 1952 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education. Patricia played the flute in the Golden Band from Tigerland at LSU. She later attended the University of Houston and obtained her Master's degree in Psychology. She worked as a fifth grade teacher at Alcott Elementary and later for a counselor for HISD touching the lives of many children during her career there. She was an accomplished flutist and graced her many church and holiday events with her music. She was actively involved in several church choirs and sang Soprano. She truly enjoyed playing Mahjong on a weekly with friends. She was an avid knitter and weaver. She spun and died wool to create beautiful linens. To escape the Houston heat, Pat would retreat to her quaint cabin in the cool mountains of Beulah, Colorado. Mim (as her grandchildren called her) would travel to Beulah for "Grandma Camp." Many outings to Bishop's Castle, Lake Isabel and Royal Gorge during Grandma Camp helped her bond with her grandchildren and the kids had a blast while getting to know each other better as well. She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph Wright Sr.; her mother, Thelma Ogden Wright; her brother, Joseph W. Wright, Jr., her husband Jesse (Jeff) P. Van Pelt, her husband, Carroll Wood, her husband, Oscar Newton and her grandson Craig A. Smith. She is survived by her sister, Leslie W. Pollock and husband Gene, daughter Karen (Van Pelt) Simon and her husband Gary Simon, son David K. Van Pelt and wife Beth, grandaughters Sara R. Jones and Melissa A. Guffin (Troy), grandsons David K Van Pelt (Jessica) and Sam E. Van Pelt, great-grandchildren Robert Belton, Juniper Guffin, Luke Van Pelt, Easton Van Pelt as well as nieces, nephews and many loving friends. Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service in the Chapel at Forest Park Funeral Home on Westheimer on July, 29, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Visitation with the family will begin at 9:00 a.m.