Patricia Ann Spence Perry

Patricia Ann Spence Perry died Feb. 2 after a three-year battle with dementia and Parkinson’s Disease. She was born at El Paso’s Masonic Hospital on Sept. 20, 1938, the daughter of Kenneth and Billie Spence.

 Growing up in the Manhattan Heights neighborhood, Patricia enjoyed playing outside all day until the sun set, practicing the piano, walking to Crockett Elementary, sending Saturday afternoons at the Pershing Theater, or visiting the Popular or White House Department Store and the Kress Five and Dime.  She graduated from Austin High School, participating in many activities, and attended Texas Western College where she was a member of the Gold Diggers.  In addition to her parents operating the Beacon on North Piedras, part of the Anderson-Beacon-Quinn family of Food Stores, they later acquired the Sun Valley Motel on Alameda, Highway 80 where she lived in Room 1.

Patricia was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church singing in church choirs for 70 years.  She met her future husband, Karl Perry, in 1956. They enjoyed church and college activities together. He proposed to her on the parking lot of a Minute Market convenience store. They would later buy that store after they started and expanded the Good Time Stores chain. They married in November 1958 and within days she became an army wife.  They returned to El Paso after Karl’s active duty with a new basset hound – one of several she would own the rest of her life.

 They started and grew their family of Kenneth (of Huntington Beach, CA), Dr. Steven, (deceased, of Denver, CO) and Polly (of El Paso). Patricia was a “swimming mom”, encouraging her children in swimming activities as well as a working partner in the family convenience store business. In addition to supporting a number of organizations across the city, she was closely associated with the YWCA of El Paso, where she served as President of the Board from 1987-1989 during a busy time of program and facility expansion.

Patricia was an avid and competitive sports fan especially enjoying golf.  She was the women’s champion at Coronado Country Club and a participant in area women’s outings. Over the years she attended a number of tournaments including the Masters. US Open, PGA and LPGA events. She has had season tickets to the Dallas Cowboys for 35 years, letting her husband Karl tag along, and attended two Super Bowls.  She attended TWC/UTEP football and basketball games for 65 years. Patricia and Karl traveled together to a good number of destinations but mostly enjoyed visiting family, the ones that ultimately care about each other in life. Their later prime destination became their place in Alto, New Mexico, which they enjoyed for over 30 years

She was always hopeful that she would improve as she struggled with the increasing effects of her medical condition, but she accepted this challenge with faith, and with the love and care of her husband, children, extended family and friends.  She received loving care from Enrique, Veronica, Rosa, Maria, Kimberly, and other caregivers from Santa Fe Home Care and finally Hospice of El Paso.  She is proceeded in death in her immediate family by her parents, son Steven, and sister Bettye.  She is survived by her husband and other children, sister Jackie Pannkuk, daughter-in-law, Jody Papini Perry and loving nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service honoring Patricia’s life will be held at 11:00 a. m., Saturday, February 24, 2024 at Trinity-First United Methodist Church, 801 N. Mesa, El Paso, TX, 79902 with Pastor Dr. Rev Doug Mills officiating. Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial gift in Patricia’s memory to Trinity-First or to the Patricia and Karl Perry Endowed Scholarship Fund at UTEP, Institutional Advancement, 500 W. University Ave, Ste 223, El Paso, TX 79902 or “givingto.UTEP.edu”. Psalm 23:6 (Revised) “and she will live in the house of the Lord forever.”