Patricia Gursky

Patricia June Gursky, 73, passed away Friday, March 27, 2009 in Abilene, Texas.

Born June 30, 1935 in Tucson, Arizona, she was the daughter of the late Faye and Kenneth Young. She married Donald E. Gursky on June 6, 1954 in Nogales, Arizona and followed her husband through numerous assignments during his career with the Air Force.

Pat was an active member of numerous volunteer organizations in Abilene to include VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 6873 and the Military Order of the Cooties 36. She was a Knight of the Square Table in the Non-Commissioned Officers Association and was a member of the Lady Guinevere Auxiliary. She was recognized numerous times with these organizations because of her hours of volunteer work in the Abilene community. She was especially proud of her development of the NCOAs local Certified Merchant Program which was the largest in the United States. In 2008, she was selected as the NCOA Auxiliary National Volunteer of the Year.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Don.

She is survived by daughter, Diana Gursky; daughter, Rene McBride and former son-in-law Jerry McBride of Abilene and their children Damain McBride and wife Christie, Ariane Clark and husband Keegan and Daniel McBride and wife Pricilla; daughter, Susan Rains and husband Larry of Abilene and their children, Randy Rains and wife Jenine, Tonya Christensen and husband Wade, and John Rains and wife Amy, daughter, Gay Kandt and her husband Greg of El Paso and their children, Stephanie and Jessica; one brother, Paul Young and wife Donna of Alpha, Michigan; cousin and best friend, Beth Clough and husband Harold; twenty-four great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and a Texas d bunch of extended family and friends.

Burial will be at 2:00 PM, Saturday, April 4, 2009 at Elmwood Memorial Park, Mausoleum Garden, 5750 Hwy 277 South. A memorial service for Patricia will follow at 3:00 PM at VFW Post 6873.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Pats memory be made to Rescue the Animals, 5933 S. 1st St., Abilene, TX 79605; or Disaster Relief Fund of the NCOA, PO Box 33790, San Antonio, TX 78265; or a charity of their choice.

Service

Graveside Service

Elmwood Memorial Park
5750 HWY 277 South
Abilene, TX  79606
Saturday, April 4, 2009
2:00 PM

Memorial Service

VFW Post 6873
Veterans Drive
Abilene, TX  79605
Saturday, April 4, 2009
3:00 PM

Cemetery

Elmwood Memorial Park
5750 HWY 277 South
Abilene, TX  79606

Memorial Contributions

Rescue the Animals
4620 North First Street
Abilene, TX  79603

Disaster Relief Fund of the NCOA
PO Box 33790
San Antonio, TX  78265