Patricia Center Pumphrey

Patricia Center Pumphrey, age 71, a resident of Naperville, IL since 2022, formerly of Gurnee, IL, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Sunrise of Naperville North in Naperville, IL. She was born on March 24, 1954, in St. Louis, MO.
Patricia was an amazing self-taught painter, avid gardener, daughter, mom, grandmother, and cherished friend. When you walked into Patricia's home a mirage of paintings lined the walls. "Is she a professional artist?" one would think. Loved ones were blessed by her artistic skills through her portraits, music, and pianist skills. She truly had a zest for art and compassion for many from diverse backgrounds.
She stood up for social justice and had compassion for diverse spiritual backgrounds. Patricia was a proud member of the NAACP in Saint Louis. She loved animals and had special bonds with her beloved pets and grandpets.
She was an avid gardener and cherished spending time in her own garden and visiting other gardens. Gardening was truly her passion, and she created a beautiful oasis of plants in her backyard. She also loved traveling, listening to music, and dance.
Patricia spent her childhood in St. Louis, MO. She attended the prestigious Washington University in Saint Louis where she received her bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology. She married, lived in South Carolina briefly and spent a majority of her years in Illinois. "The cold is invigorating," she once told her daughter. She devoted much of her life to raising her family and her other creative artistic endeavors.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Thomas Jefferson Center and Wilhelmina Dunlap Center and her sister, Marguerite.
She is survived by James Pumphrey, her daughters, Asha Pumphrey-Bush and Dara Pumphrey-Ruiz; her sons-in-law, Pierre Bush and Carlos Ruiz; and her grandchildren, François Bush, Makenna Bush, Evangelina Ruiz, Elaina Ruiz, and Emare Ruiz.
She was a beacon of strength and resilience and believed in living her life to the fullest. She was a beacon of light to all who were lucky enough to spend time with her. Her legacy will continue to inspire others.
A celebration of Patricia's life will be held on Saturday, October 25th, at Noon at Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville, IL.
A memorial visitation will follow from 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville, IL.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Patricia's memory can be made to:
Chicago Botanic Garden, Development Operations, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022, (847) 835-6925, https://www.chicagobotanic.org/donate
or
The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL 60532, email: donorrelations@mortonarb.org, (630)725-2177, https://mortonarb.org/
Arrangements by Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 44 S. Mill St, Naperville, IL 60540.
For more information, please call (630) 355-0213 or visit www.friedrich-jones.com