Patsy "Pat" Ruth Hemenway

Patsy Ruth (Watson) Hemenway was born at the family home, Richards, Texas on November 27, 1930, to George Milner Watson and Annie Beatrice (Taylor) Watson. Pat was the youngest of ten children. Upon graduation in 1948 from Richards, Texas High School, Pat began employment in a newspaper office in Conroe, Texas as a bookkeeper. She later was employed at the A.S.C.S. office in Conroe, and is where she was working when she met George Hemenway on a blind date. George and Pat were married on November 26, 1952, and were married 54 years until George's death in 2006. The two of them lived in several states including Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri following George's railroad career, and then moved to Allerton, Iowa in 1958. Pat missed her large family in Texas and oftentimes rode the Rocket train to Texas to visit her family. Pat worked as a secretary at the Allerton School and as a teacher's aide at the Cambria Junior High, and she owned Pat's Shoe Shop and Pat's Dairy Sweet for a number of years in Allerton. She later worked at the A.S.C.S. office in Corydon where she eventually retired from. Upon retirement, she and George were able to winter in Richards, Texas near several of her siblings, nephews, and nieces. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and was a Girl Scout leader. Pat was a member of the Sunnyslope Church of Christ. Pat's church friends and her Allerton friends were an important part of her life over the years. She was an exceptional mother and grandmother. Her family was very blessed in having her as their mother and grandmother. She was known for her Texas-style fried okra and black-eyed peas and did a lot of canning from her gardens. Pat was very creative and an accomplished tole painter and seamstress. She loved antiques and refinished several. Pat was so proud of the latest addition to her family of twin baby girls. Her grandchildren all knew her as "Mama Pat." Going on before her were her husband, George Hemenway; her parents, George and Annie Watson; and her siblings, Ollie, Erma (Stovil), Linwood, Otis, Marvin, Reba (Hawkins), and Jack Watson. Surviving are her sister Eloise Garrett of Richards, Texas, and brother Harold Watson from New Waverly, Texas; brother-in-law Charles Hemenway of Mercer, Missouri; several nieces and nephews; children Lorie (Alan) Pearson of Chariton, Iowa, Marla (Ali) Davoudi of Lima, Ohio, and Stan Hemenway of West Allis, Wisconsin; grandchildren Michelle (Russ) Maile, Joshua (Alyson) Pearson, Tabitha (Joe) Fleck, Eric (Shanna) Pearson, Alicia (Joe) VonVille, Andrea (Chris) Davoudi/Alexis, and Jordan, Ellie and Jacob Hemenway; and great grandchildren Maddie, Rebecca, and Rylan Maile; Cade and Daelynne Mauch; Mason, Campbell, and Hadley Fleck; and Eli VonVille. Memorials in Pat's honor may be given to the Sunnyslope Church of Christ or the Allerton First Responders.