Dates
Wanda Patricia “Pat” Thornton Davis of San Angelo, Texas, went home to her Lord on March 22, 2015 at the age of 88, just two and a half months shy of her 89th birthday. She was born June 9, 1926 in Arkansas City, Kansas to William Clarence “Nick” Carter and Margaret Crawford Carter. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Margaret “Tommye” Carter Burkholder, ex-husband Gene Gosney, former husband James Lee “Jay” Thornton, brother in-law Earnie Beaver, niece Debbie Chaney, and grandchild Brandon Thornton. She is survived by her husband Charles E. Davis; sister Etolia Ann ”Toady” Beaver of Midwest City, Oklahoma and her son Randy Chaney and family; brother in-law Ben Burkholder and family; son Thomas “T” Gosney Thornton and wife Pamela of San Angelo and son Michael Eugene Gosney and wife Connie of Novato, California; grandchildren Eric Teal Gosney Thornton and wife Eva of San Angelo and their children: Thomas, Erica, Emmanuel Eugene, and Pete Thornton; Tiana Lee Thornton Hennings and husband Mark and their son Cohan Gosney Hennings; grandchildren Tammy Gosney Cooke and Michael Eugene Gosney, Jr. of Sacramento, California; and three great-great granddaughters.
In 1943 Pat married Gene Gosney, right out of high school in Seminole, Oklahoma. They were blessed with two sons, Mike and Tom. As the heavy-weight boxing champion for the US Army and later a professional fighter, Gene travelled to exciting venues such as the Chicago Champions’ Club, Madison Square Garden and many, many more across the USA. Of course, Pat often went to cheer him on, her youthful beauty sparking the crowd to louder cheers! Later after their divorce, Pat returned to San Angelo where she attended San Angelo Business College and went on to work as an executive secretary in Midland with Black, Sivalls and Bryson, Inc.. She then met James Lee Thornton, while he was stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base as an instructor pilot. The two married in April of 1956 and travelled the world together. Stationed in Germany as a fighter pilot during the Cold War, Jay introduced his bride to the great European capitals—the two of them always ready for an adventure! Later during Jay’s remaining service, they lived in Arizona, Del Rio, TX, Omaha, NE, Alabama, Washington D.C. and finally returned full-circle to San Angelo, where Jay died in November of 1992 after working for Baptist Memorial Hospital for 18 years as the BMH Food Service Director.
Pat was a long time member of the First Methodist Church of San Angelo, The Business Men’s Bible Class, San Angelo Symphony Guild, The New Timers’ Club, Daughters of the American Revolution, Goodfellow Officers’ Club; several bridge clubs, La Paloma Dance Club and many other civic organizations. Pat often tickled the family with her lively sense of “telling it like it is” and her love of “putting on the dog”! When the new fashions or hairstyles arrived, Pat always turned out sporting them. She moved everything out of her double-wide closet from season-to-season (her husband had a closet elsewhere, who cared?), keeping the big stores and re-sale stores in business. Nothing made her madder than seeing another woman dressed identically to herself at church or a function. (Hemphill Wells, Gabriel’s, and Dillard’s heard all about it the next day as they rushed to return her money!)
After Jay’s death and 12 years of living on her own, Charles E. Davis came back into Pat’s life. Charlie had known Pat when she was in Big Lake in the 1950’s, and he still claims he has been “smitten” with her ever since. She was the “love of his life.” They were married on January 6, 2004 and enjoyed 11 wonderful years together. Pat and Charlie were often spotted having lunch around town (a daily event), but few knew of their clandestine visits to Dairy Queen after Pat’s care givers went home…
Throughout her life, Pat adored big family get-togethers (even if someone had just died) and her siblings and cousins played significant roles in this giant drama! Surrounded by Beavers, Burkholders, Chaneys, Dorseys, Goldwires, Kirbys, Rawls, and Yorks—Pat certainly commanded the “queen bee” role, her banter intermittently sparking eruptions of raucous laughter or a shocked silence followed by snickering stage whispers. Good Lord—stirring it up with a big stick—Miss Pat epitomized a true Texas “hoot” to her family.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 6pm – 7 pm on Thursday, March 26, 2015. Services will be at 10:00 AM March 27, 2015 at Robert Massie Funeral Home, 402 Rio Concho Dr., San Angelo, TX with Dr. Darrell T. Smith, officiating. The family would like to thank Concho Valley Home Health, especially Sarah, Ivy, and Arlene for the kind and vigilant care of our Pat. Guests may register online at robertmassie.com.