Patricia "Pat" Louise Jones Byers, 79, of Magnolia, Texas, passed away on Thursday, December 25, 2025, following a prolonged illness. Pat was born October 21, 1946 in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in the Shaker Heights neighborhood. She attended Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania where she received a degree in early childhood education.

Teaching

She began her teaching career in Monroeville, just outside of Pittsburgh. She continued teaching in various cities in Pennsylvania, married Bruce Byers, and they started a family in Erie, Pennsylvania. Life brought the family to Corpus Christi, Texas in 1977 where she taught preschool at Mt Olive Lutheran Church and then again at St. Philip Lutheran, St. Matthew Lutheran, and Our Savior Lutheran after moving to Houston, Texas (along with other teaching positions as opportunities arose) starting in 1984. She guided individuals in a halfway house in Erie, PA after returning there with Bruce in 1993 – and she reported this was one of the most meaningful jobs she had. She and Bruce then moved to Singapore where she taught at the International School of Singapore, which she described as one of the more interesting teaching positions, simply because of her love for experiencing a variety of cultures and ways of life.

Life Interests

Early in life, she learned about the importance of and influence in volunteering when she helped her mother with volunteering at a World Mission organization who approached with a "Teach a man to fish" philosophy. She valued reading (she always had books upon books), advocacy for access to education, and resources for fostering growth in children and those in need. She believed deeply in the importance of family and individual freedoms, becoming involved in political advocacy at the national level. With this, she led a women's political organization and was named a delegate to the convention.

Family Life

Pat and Bruce had 3 daughters: Nora, Tiffany, and Allison. Pat loved all types of people and gave generously, especially to those in need. Through volunteering and service, she demonstrated what love and compassion looks like in action. On Thanksgiving Day, the family volunteered at the city's Thanksgiving Feast to serve the homeless. Following Hurricane Katrina, Pat volunteered to help the evacuees at the Astrodome. She taught forgiveness, and she lived with the deeply rooted conviction that we are not of this world—that we are made for something greater than what we see in this brief life.

She insisted on good manners and cultivated an appreciation for music, the arts, and beauty in all its forms. She accepted all people who crossed her path without judgement and always met individuals where they are with grace and love. And with her daughters, she encouraged exploration of imagination and independence while fostering a desire for each to be the best version of themselves. With the family, she also cherished the small town events in Lawrence Park, open air concerts bayside in Corpus Christi, time by the lake, time in cabins and tubing in central Texas, and in the Cook Forest in Pennsylvania. A favorite memory is of the Thanksgivings in Singapore, where neighbors from all countries shared their foods and cultures in a loving and accepting dinner. She often spoke fondly of time at the beach in South Texas and the mountains in northern New Mexico and had hoped to make time to visit there again.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Bruce Byers, and her daughters Nora Haenggi (Brian), Tiffany Staley, and Allison Horner (Scott), as well as her grandsons Jacob Haenggi, Ian Haenggi, and Gavin Staley. She is additionally survived by her sister-in-law Barbara Chira (Cor), sister-in-law Miriam "Timmie" Chandler, niece Jessica Merkner (Matt Benotsch), and nephew Brian Byrne (Jennifer). She is preceded in death by her mother Mildred Jones, her father Paul Jones, son-in-law Aaron Staley, brother-in-law Rick Chandler, and her brother Douglas Jones.

Her final words to the family before leaving this earth were "I'm so happy!" and the family truly believes she was being received with the love of Jesus and those who went before her.