Patty Lou Floyd, author, educator, friend of the disadvantaged, and all-round explorer of life, passed away peacefully at her Tulsa home early in the morning, Wednesday, October 30th. aged 103.  Born Patty Louise Ellis in Duncan, Oklahoma in 1921, she lived many other places during her college years and the war years, returning to Oklahoma in the late 1940s.  Though all of those who have lived to such an age could boast of many lifetime accomplishments, Mrs. Floyd cultivated and harvested a particularly vivid garden of interests, devotions, and adventures.

Many knew Patty as an accomplished author. One of her works, The Silver DeSoto, a collection of inter-related short stories, garnered critical praise from reviews like one in The New York Times Review of Books. This review particularly noted the depth of insight into human nature. Patty herself said in an interview that the stories represented an attempt to render dignity to some of the characters in her life. The stories paint a largely autobiographical portrait of an Oklahoma girl's life in a small town during the Depression and Dust Bowl years. The book describes a complex tapestry of events, emotions, and relationships, and, though told from a youngster's perspective, the stories have near universal appeal. The book is used in many high school classrooms as a poignant coming-of-age text, and Mrs. Floyd was always immensely pleased and proud that her writing touched audiences both mature and young.

Others may remember Patty best for her dedication to education and the arts.  After a short stint at Gulf Park College in Mississippi, Mrs. Floyd returned to Oklahoma to earn her bachelors' degree from Oklahoma University. She followed through by earning her masters' degree from the University of Tulsa, where she subsequently taught English.  Later, for more than two decades she served as one of the Trustees of Grinnell College where she championed the retention of a liberal arts curriculum, despite the fact that many colleges were beginning to diminish the profiles of their humanities departments.

Outside of academia, Mrs. Floyd was generous in her support for the arts, giving both her time and participation.  From way back (as she might say), she was a huge enthusiast, supporter, and booster of Tulsa Ballet. Her interest in ballet began with her enrolling in the Jasinski studio dance classes in the mid-1960s. She often chose to join in the children's classes, as she found these sessions to be more challenging, and, just generally, "more dance and less chatter." Over the years, her interest and involvement in ballet expanded into her taking on roles at Tulsa Ballet that ranged from serving on the board to helping backstage with costume changes. Patty had many close friends who performed with and worked at Tulsa Ballet, and she would often go to multiple performances of the same show, so that she would be sure to see all of the dancers.

Mrs. Floyd was also continuously involved in many other activities and organizations in Tulsa. These were as varied as President of the Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, and volunteering as a reader and proofer with Nimrod, the University of Tulsa literary publication.

With all these activities and accomplishments, one might wonder whether Patty had any spare time.  Well, she did.  So to speak. Patty was not much of a bystander, nor was she much of a one to relax and watch the parade go by.  Her idea of "time-off" included such things as days-long horseback pack trips into the Pecos Wilderness during the rainy  season ("damn the lightning storms, put on your slicker! "); very jubilant and very noisy canoe trips down erstwhile peaceful rivers; taking part in organizing and decorating exquisite and elaborate holiday events (including being one of the organizing spirits behind a 25-year-come-one-come-all Halloween haunted-house tradition) and, little known to any but her best friends, there were also inner-tube float trips down a river so shallow that she referred to this pastime as "rump-bumping".  She also, every year, spent more time wrapping Christmas packages than anyone on Earth except Santa Claus.

All of this was somehow accomplished while she was a full-time, full-on mother of three, with all of the innumerable rewards and challenges that crop up while tending that garden: keeping track of homework, PTA meetings, ballet lessons, social clubs, music lessons, dance lessons, dances, boyfriends and girlfriends, vacations, sports, drama lessons, drama at home, new boyfriends, new girlfriends, graduations, college….can a gal ever get a break, a little relief?

Well, yes. Some of her relief was provided by the many cats that adopted Patty over the years.  There wasn't a stray cat near Patty's house that didn't sniff out that a soft touch lived inside.  Cats would come to the door dirty and starving, and then were nursed back to health to go on to lead lives of erudite privilege, perched next to Patty's typewriter, inspiring her as she pecked out her novels and short stories. Pregnant cats, or cats that had already delivered and hidden the litter nearby, seemed especially to know that Patty's was a house where their kittens would be safe and nourished. Patty's last cat, Sunflower, appeared and volunteered to be Patty's new cat during a rare period when Patty had been catless for a few days. Sunflower became Patty's soul mate and deserves special remembrance here.

Mrs. Floyd was married to Ben D. Floyd, Jr. with whom she had three children, Shelley, David, and Mark. Many years after Mr. Floyd's death, she married Reginald G. Barnes.

Mrs. Floyd is survived by her children, grandchildren, and, soon, a great-grandson.  These include:  Daughter, Shelley Floyd (Shelley's husband, Albert Loshkajian), Shelley's and Albert's daughters, Nina and Ani Loshkajian (Ani's husband, Javier Mariscal), Ani's and Javier's soon-to-be son – name to be revealed J; Son, David Floyd (David's wife, Norine Floyd); Son, Mark Floyd (Mark's wife, Ellen Floyd), Mark's and Ellen's children, Emily Floyd and William Floyd (William's wife, Kelsey Craig).

A celebration of Patty's life will be announced later.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Tulsa Ballet, or The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges.