Obituary for J. Pat Stephens
J. Pat Stephens was born in Garza County Texas on June 3, 1934 to Joseph Walter and Margaret Evans Stephens. Born on a dry land cotton farm in the middle of the Great Depression and the Dust bowl may not have been the most auspicious start, but J. Pat lived through a remarkable time in history. He grew up on the family farm on top of the caprock with his parents and six siblings. As J. Pat told the story, it was an idyllic childhood, palling around with his brother Bill through all the adventures and travails of farm life. When the war broke out, the family moved to Lubbock so Walter could work in the rapidly growing defense industry. After the war ended, the family returned to the farm, and J. Pat attended Post High School, which he recalled fondly. After graduation, he stuck around Post for a few years working at various jobs.
In 1954, J. Pat left Post, joined the U.S. Army, and served at Fort Mead in a signals intelligence unit. It was a formative moment in his life. Surrounded by highly educated scientists, he found his calling: getting out of the military and into college. After his discharge in 1957, supported by the G.I. Bill, he attended West Texas State College, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
More importantly, during his years at West Texas, he met and married the love of his life, Jane. They married on Thanksgiving Day in 1963. They recalled the rest of the sixties as a golden time in their lives together.
After Pat completed his studies at WT, he then attended the University of Missouri and completed a Ph.D. in Public Administration. Returning to the faculty at West Texas in 1970, he built a renowned Public Administration program at WT. A talented and funny teacher, J. Pat taught thousands of students in the subsequent years, and he trained a generation and more of City Managers who spread out across the state. That was his proudest professional accomplishment, and he stayed in contact with many of those students until the end of his life. He served widely on Planning Commissions, Boards, and Municipal organizations throughout his career. He wrote a history of the Presbyterian Church and co-authored a respected textbook. In the 1980s, he and his brother Bill founded a consulting firm that worked with municipalities throughout the state to improve their city governance.
J. Pat believed strongly that municipal government was crucial to the well-being of society. He practiced what he preached to his students, serving as City Commissioner and Mayor Protem in Canyon for over 20 years. J. Pat retired from West Texas in 1998 and was named Professor Emeritus. He remained busy in retirement, serving the community and his church. Jane died in 2013; thereafter, Pat found new happiness with his partner Pam Stribling.
J. Pat lived a remarkable life during a remarkable time. He had a long, happy, and fulfilling journey. As he often reminded anyone who would listen, he lived a charmed life and considered himself the luckiest man alive.
Preceding him in death were his parents and siblings J.W. Jr., Allene McWhirter, Geneva Sadaj and Mary Cook. Survivors include his partner Pam Stribling; children Jennifer (Robert Stubbs) and Robert (Heather Gumbert); grandchildren Xander, Maya, and Amelie Stubbs; brother Bill and sister-in-law Nancy of Amarillo; sister Janet Kritser of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and numerous nieces and nephews he loved dearly.
All are welcome to join the family at a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church in Canyon at 10:00 AM, Saturday February 10.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Jane & J. Pat Stephens Memorial Scholarship, c/o Education Foundation of CISD, P.O. Box 881, Canyon, TX 79015.
In 1954, J. Pat left Post, joined the U.S. Army, and served at Fort Mead in a signals intelligence unit. It was a formative moment in his life. Surrounded by highly educated scientists, he found his calling: getting out of the military and into college. After his discharge in 1957, supported by the G.I. Bill, he attended West Texas State College, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
More importantly, during his years at West Texas, he met and married the love of his life, Jane. They married on Thanksgiving Day in 1963. They recalled the rest of the sixties as a golden time in their lives together.
After Pat completed his studies at WT, he then attended the University of Missouri and completed a Ph.D. in Public Administration. Returning to the faculty at West Texas in 1970, he built a renowned Public Administration program at WT. A talented and funny teacher, J. Pat taught thousands of students in the subsequent years, and he trained a generation and more of City Managers who spread out across the state. That was his proudest professional accomplishment, and he stayed in contact with many of those students until the end of his life. He served widely on Planning Commissions, Boards, and Municipal organizations throughout his career. He wrote a history of the Presbyterian Church and co-authored a respected textbook. In the 1980s, he and his brother Bill founded a consulting firm that worked with municipalities throughout the state to improve their city governance.
J. Pat believed strongly that municipal government was crucial to the well-being of society. He practiced what he preached to his students, serving as City Commissioner and Mayor Protem in Canyon for over 20 years. J. Pat retired from West Texas in 1998 and was named Professor Emeritus. He remained busy in retirement, serving the community and his church. Jane died in 2013; thereafter, Pat found new happiness with his partner Pam Stribling.
J. Pat lived a remarkable life during a remarkable time. He had a long, happy, and fulfilling journey. As he often reminded anyone who would listen, he lived a charmed life and considered himself the luckiest man alive.
Preceding him in death were his parents and siblings J.W. Jr., Allene McWhirter, Geneva Sadaj and Mary Cook. Survivors include his partner Pam Stribling; children Jennifer (Robert Stubbs) and Robert (Heather Gumbert); grandchildren Xander, Maya, and Amelie Stubbs; brother Bill and sister-in-law Nancy of Amarillo; sister Janet Kritser of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and numerous nieces and nephews he loved dearly.
All are welcome to join the family at a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church in Canyon at 10:00 AM, Saturday February 10.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Jane & J. Pat Stephens Memorial Scholarship, c/o Education Foundation of CISD, P.O. Box 881, Canyon, TX 79015.