Patricia Yvette (Woods) GARVIN

GARVIN, MADSEN, THORBRUGH, THOMAS, WOODS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/19/2015 at 01:48:52

April 26, 1925 --- August 18, 2015

Urbandale, IA --- Patricia Yvette Garvin, 90, passed away Tuesday, August 18, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines after a long illness. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at McLaren's Chapel in West Des Moines with burial following at Resthaven Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Patricia was born April 26, 1925, in Iowa Falls. She lived briefly in Woolstock, IA, but spent most of her childhood in Montreal, Canada. Patricia returned to Iowa and graduated from Stratford High School. She married James Garvin and motherhood followed, as did jobs working as executive assistant to Dr. Robert French, director of Presbyterian Headquarters in Des Moines, and to Dean Earle Canfield of Drake University's graduate department. A diligent scholar, Patricia earned Bachelor of Arts and Masters of English degrees at Drake. She also earned a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Iowa. During the latter part of her career, she was an adult book reviewer for Booklist magazine of the American Library Association in Chicago, IL.

More intellectual than adventurous, Patricia enjoyed reading, writing, playing her cello, traveling traditional European sites, listening to good music, and viewing good films. In her younger days, she enjoyed entertaining friends and family members. She was an excellent cook and will be remembered for her scrumptious lemon meringue pies. Patricia was a member of Mensa, and in her retirement joined the Red Hat Society.

The last of her siblings to pass away, she is survived by her husband, James; daughters, Lynn (Dave) Madsen of Granger and Nita Thornbrugh of West Des Moines; grandsons, Bradley (Mary) and Erik (Kim) Thomas of Monroe, IA, John (Konii) Thomas of Prairie City, IA; five great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren residing in Monroe and Prairie City. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association.

Des Moines Register -- Iowa
August 20, 2015

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[nee Patricia Woods]