Mother, author, teacher, poet, editor, realtor, artist, choir member, caregiver, wife and dear friend died November 26, 2009 in St. Louis, MO from breast cancer at the age of seventy-two. Pat was born December 10, 1937 in Brookfield (Congress Park), IL, the older of two children born to James Hilton and Cynthia Rogers Hilton.

She graduated from Hinsdale (IL) Township High School in 1955.

She received a Bachelor’s of Arts in English (1959) and an M. A. in English and French (1964) from Illinois State University at Normal.

She married Larry Richard Smith of Bismarck, IL in 1959 with whom she had two children, Anne Keats and Jacob Paul. She was preceded in death by her father, mother and brother, James Hilton III.

She lived in Springfield, IL for many years staying close to her family and building a large network of artists and friends. Pat was a founding member, in 1972, of the women’s writing collective brainchild, and later the Scarritt Street Writers’ Group. Though rarely one to take center stage, Pat was a consistent catalyst for numerous creative groups with regular and impromptu readings and performances.

Pat worked as an editor, speechwriter and conference planner for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for eighteen years.

Pat moved to the Central West End in St. Louis, MO in 1997. She married John Knoll in 2000. She was an active member of the choir at First Unitarian Church, where she also worked as administrative assistant.

Pat is survived by her husband John, daughter Keats, son Jake, and grandchildren Brittany 22, Nathan 16, Emma 12, Hannah 11 and Jacob 10, her step-children : John Alexander Knoll, Nathaniel Knoll (Pat’s god child), Katharine Knoll and Georgia Knoll.

A memorial service for Pat will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at the First Unitarian Church, 5007 Waterman, St. Louis, MO 63108.

In lieu of flowers send donations to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure fund or First Unitarian Church of Saint Louis.