This memorial page was created in the memory of our beloved, Patricia Anne Bays, 77, who passed peacefully into God’s loving arms on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at her mountain home in Ramsey Canyon surrounded by her family.
She was born in Abbeville, LA to Agnes "Grace" Gross and Dan Roberts on October 20th, 1935.
Patricia lived in Houston, TX during her early years, then relocated to Bisbee, Arizona with her mother Grace and younger brother, Dan Roberts, Jr in 1946 when her mother married Dewey Hogan, a Bisbee native. Patricia attended Incarnate Word Boarding School, Incarnate Word High School in Houston, Texas and later graduated in May 1953 from Bisbee High School where she met her beloved George. Upon graduation, she married her high school sweetheart, George N. Bays on June 21st, 1953 and lived the rest of her life with him at her side.
In 1994, Patricia encouraged her son Randy to “hang out his shield” and try a private law practice in Sierra Vista. Upon that suggestion, Patricia and Randy began looking for office space, furniture and equipment and started Bays Law. Patricia was Randy’s legal assistant, office manager and bookkeeper and continued to be an integral part of Bays Law until a few months before her death. Patricia was well respected by judges, lawyers and many, many friends of her community.
In March 2011, while working at Bays Law in Sierra Vista she was diagnosed with lung cancer. This was a shock to everybody because she had not smoked a cigarette in her life. Around the same time, Kristen Calhoun, another employee at Bays Law was diagnosed with colon cancer. Kristen was only 28 years only and had two very young children. The two worked together in exchanging information and motivation to fight their respective cancers while working next to each other at Bays Law. On July 3, 2012, Patricia was rushed to the hospital in Tucson because she was having significant difficulty breathing. While in the hospital, Patricia asked about Kristen and learned that on July 4, 2012, the young 29 year old mother of two lost her battle with cancer. To make matters worse, Patricia was informed that there was nothing further the doctors could do for her and estimated that she would live only a few more days. On July 17, 2012, Patricia was discharged from a Tucson hospital and returned to her beloved home in the trees of Ramsey Canyon. Despite being at home, Patricia refused to give up her battle with cancer or her support for her husband or children. Between July and late August, she was driving around town with her husband in tote, working at Bays Law and visiting with her children.
Patricia was a cherished and devoted wife, mother and grandmother who later in life went by the name “Nana” with her family. Although she enjoyed travel, sewing, knitting and occasionally listening to her favorite Neil Diamond songs, she had but one passion and that was her family.
On November 8, 2012, Patricia succumbed to lung cancer in her home in Ramsey Canyon. Shortly before her death, she summoned her husband of 60 years, grabbed his hand and said, “I love you. I am ready to go.” She was surrounded by her children, grandchildren and friends just before her death.
She was preceded in death by her younger brother, Dan Roberts, Jr and she is survived by her husband of 59 years, George, Daughter Terry (husband Timothy), Son's Patrick (Kelli Bixby), Paul Randall (wife Gina), Michael (wife Kaci) and David Sean (wife Julie). She also left behind nine grandchildren, Brandon, Morgan, Chad, Dustin, Brooke, Austin, Parker, Cameron and Jackson, and one great grandchild Rowan. Patricia is also survived by Wanda Balbuena, who has been our family nanny for nearly 30 years and who was Patricia’s daily caregiver and guardian angel during the last months of her life.
A time of visitation will be held from 5 to 7 PM, Monday November 19, 2012 at Hatfield Funeral, the Rosary will be recited at 6 PM. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM Tuesday, November 20th, 2012 at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, 1425 E. Yaqui Street, Sierra Vista, Arizona. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Bisbee, AZ.
In lieu of flowers, please leave a tribute to Patricia at www.forevermissed.com/patriciabays.
Our beloved Nana will be deeply missed.
