January 6th, 1936 – August 13th, 2023

Patricia Louise Wright (nee) Stephens, previously Patricia Louise Meyers, passed away in her home after a short time in hospice care on Sunday, August 13th at the age of 87. She was born in St. Louis, MO on January 6th, 1936.

Patricia is predeceased by her husband, James Meyers, and stepchildren Christine Meyers and Warren Meyers as well as her second husband, Donald Wright, and brother James Stephens.

Patricia is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Kathleen Unwin (Meyers) and son-in-law Don Unwin, her grandchildren Maren and James Unwin, her brother Robert Stephens and his wife, Maryclare, her nieces Terri Bartnett (Stephens), Christine Stephens, Maureen Fischer (Stephens) and Evelynn Eckert (Stephens) and her great nieces and nephews.

Pat worked as a legal secretary in her early career and later was blessed to be able to trade in her heels and steno pads for blue jeans and a saddle and follow her passion to live the country life with horses. She raised and boarded horses at her farm in Hillsboro, MO. While she loved all animals, the small ones were not really her thing…give her Dobermans and Tennessee Walking horses! Pat made many dear friends by sharing her love of and knowledge about horses. None of these roles, though, was as important to her as her role as a loving mother and grandmother. She was very active in her grandchildren’s lives.

Pat loved a good glass of Riesling and made the best German Potato Salad, and she insisted on teaching the recipe to Kathleen and Chris just weeks before she passed. We “think” we have it down.

Speaking of food, she kept us hopping in her last few weeks, craving very specific things like cinnamon rolls, Imo’s pizza, Ted Drewes and a very specific homemade rice pudding that Christine lovingly made from her old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Even though she could only tolerate a few bites, with each fulfilled craving she would declare “mmmm” and make a hilarious and childlike gesture of gastric satisfaction. We’d have to demonstrate.

When you see Pat in heaven, ask her about the time she and Judy nearly drove their car off a cliff at Lake Tanecomo, how she taught her Aunt Loretta and stepdaughter Chris Meyers to drive, and how she rescued “Mr. Duck” from the frozen pond and took him to the vet for 20 some-odd stitches. Oh, and there was the time Uncle Bob had to rescue her from the bottom of the deep end of the pool. The twist is-there was only a foot of water in it. You’ll have a good laugh.

Special thanks to the hospice team at Mercy St. Louis and the kind and caring staff at Martha’s Hands who helped support Pat and our family during these difficult few months.

Service Information:

A funeral mass will be held at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Webster Groves on Saturday, August 26th at 10 am. A celebration of life will follow from noon-3 pm at the Missouri Botanical Gardens Spink Pavillion.

Donations in lieu of flowers to Long Meadow Rescue Ranchhttps://longmeadowrescueranch.org/donate/ or the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance.https://ocrahope.org or better yet, consider volunteering a few hours of your time at any animal rescue or hospice organization near you and think fondly of Pat while you do.