Patricia Lou Vanzant Deen's Obituary
Born September 25, 1931, in Long Beach, California, Patricia Lou Vanzant Deen belonged to the generation that’s been called “the Greatest” — and “Pat,” as she was known, was no exception.
Her upbringing was split between the California boom towns of Long Beach and Bakersfield, where her parents went to escape economic hardship, and the tiny farm town of Sonora, near Springdale, Arkansas. Moving back and forth between these two worlds gave Pat a fiercely tenacious spirit, and her family’s perseverance during tough times gave Pat her trademark optimism, which endured until her final moments.
Her parents — Henry Laverne Vanzant and Evalyn Marie Dickson — were among the early settlers of Sonora. Pat’s grandfather started the Sonora Post Office; her parents owned and operated the family farm and the Sonora Store. After graduating from Springdale High, Pat met Jim Deen on a blind date; they married in 1949 and had two girls, Patti and Pamela. After a short stint in Bakersfield, Pat and the girls — the “Three Ps” — returned to Northwest Arkansas where Pat attended Fayetteville business college and worked as a bookkeeper at Hunt’s Department Store.
When the girls were teens, the Three Ps moved back to Bakersfield for a job opportunity. (It’s a good thing Pat loved to drive, as they liked to keep Route 66 hot.) Pat became a banker at a time when banking was still very much a man’s world. Upon retiring after 26 years with Great Western Savings & Loan, she and her second husband, Cloyd Elgin Poindexter — better known as “Poppy” — came home to Arkansas to be closer to Pat’s growing brood of grandchildren.
Children and family were Pat’s purpose. Ask any family member, and they’ll tell you she’d do anything for them. She was a giver without question or judgment — the kind who’d befriend anyone who needed someone. Her home was a home to many: family, friends, neighbors and kids. She was a provider through and through, and asked for little in return. She gave of her whole self, and her whole heart.
Her tenacious spirit gave her sass, spunk and a sharp tongue; her optimism ensured she never knew a bad day. She was full of juxtapositions: She loved her sparkly jewelry and salon visits but also loved to chat all things sports. She loved reading and crocheting, people watching, cooking and train rides. She was strong and independent, even into her nineties, of which she was immensely proud. She passed away peacefully at home on March 26.
She is survived by her daughter, Patti Gay; her grandchildren, Samantha Wood (Chris), Natalie Gay, Dominic Lopez (Lacey) and Anthony Gay (Julianne); her great-grandchildren, Erly, Lincoln, Adriana, Elowyn, Eva, Amalia and a new baby on the way; her brother, Kenneth Vanzant (Peggy); her stepsons, Charlie, David and Thomas McWhorter; and her beloved, Kaitlin. She was preceded in death by her second husband, Cloyd Elgin Poindexter; her third husband, John McWhorter; her daughter, Pamela Bachman; her grandson, Trevor Lopez; and her son-in-law, Chuck Gay.
Pat was a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Club Award and was a member of First United Methodist Church Downtown Rogers.
A visitation will be held 9:30 a.m. Saturday April 16, 2022 at First United Methodist Church with a memorial service starting at 10:00 a.m.
The family is grateful to Circle of Life for their compassion and love. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E345053&id=13 , or to the American Lung Associationhttps://action.lung.org/site/Donation2?df_id=37359&mfc_pref=T&37359.donation=form1&s_src=PaidSearch&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjr-Mn4uC9wIVIxXUAR35wAsnEAAYASABEgK6hvD_BwE .
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