PATRICIA A. MONTALBO

1947 - 2021

Patricia Ann Montalbo left this life to be with her Lord on November 15th, 2021. Patricia (""Pat"") was born on January 6th, 1947, in Lubbock, Texas, to Fred Henry (a farmer) and Glena Ray (a homemaker) Turner. Growing up in Brownfield, Texas, she was baptized at the First Baptist Church, which she attended with her parents, sister Janey, and brother James. Pat began piano lessons at age 6 and later studied the organ and clarinet, as well. She played clarinet with the Brownfield High School band (winning state-wide and national honors), and she enjoyed working on the school paper and yearbook.

Pat attended Texas Tech University, UT Austin, and UT Permian Basin – majoring in music education and pursuing extensive postgraduate work in music performance and musicology. She began teaching piano and other musical instruments at age 19. Over the decades that followed, Pat shared her gifts of music and teaching and hospitality with hundreds of students (from toddlers to adults) while living in Odessa, Amarillo, and for the past 26 years in Plano, TX.

In addition to teaching, Pat played the organ for many churches – starting as a teenager in Brownfield, and then in Odessa, Amarillo, and DFW. As much as she excelled in piano, the organ was her favorite instrument. She joyfully ministered through both playing pipe organs and directing adult and children's choirs.

Pat also delighted in playing harpsichord and recorder with baroque music performance ensembles, including the Permian Consort in Odessa and Marilla Musica in Amarillo; and she served as a participant and leader in the music teacher associations of Odessa, Amarillo, Plano, Frisco, and the state of Texas. Antiques and art were also a long-time passion of Pat's; and, for several years, she operated an antique booth in Plano.

Above all these endeavors, Pat was a devoted, loving, and cheerful wife to Gene and mother to Joanna – blessing them and her many beloved friends and family through her generous and caring nature, and her dry wit which brought laughter even in her final days of battling Parkinson's.

Pat is preceded in death by her parents and her brother James. She is survived by: Gene Montalbo of Plano; Joanna (Gaasch) Smith and her husband Brooks of Dallas; Janey (Turner) Bartley and her husband Thomas of Hemet, CA; nieces Deborah and Kathy; nephews Tommy and Mike; five grandnieces and one grandnephew; and two great-grandnieces and two great-grandnephews. Service is December 4th, 11 a.m., at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Plano. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Pat's memory may be made to Dayspring Assisted Living in Plano (www.dayspringal.org) or Parkinson Voice Project in Richardson, Texas (www.parkinsonvoiceproject.org)