Mrs. Patricia Springs, after 74 seasons of life, "found sweet rest in Paradise" on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 from Atlanta, Georgia.

Patricia Ann McCloskey Springs was born as number one to Elizabeth Hunter and William R. McCloskey on
September 4, 1941 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When she was five, she moved with her parents to Sapulpa and stayed there until she
graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1959. She then went to Langston University, graduating in 1964, and
started working at Moton Public Schools in Taft, Oklahoma. Elated to be hired as a music teacher, Patricia gladly accepted the
added position of third and fourth grade Language Arts teacher. She also taught Reading, Writing, Spelling, Language and
Arithmetic for over 2 ½ decades. She went to Northeastern and Oklahoma State Universities until she received her Master's
degree in Education and earned her Elementary Education Certificate.

Her second semester of college generated a membership of lasting years in the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. As the years of
working with people smiled on her, Soror Springs decided to add her association with other organizations to her list of
memberships: Kappa Phi Alpha Sorority, Heroines of Jericho, and Starlight Chapter No. 11 Order of the Eastern Star.
Being an alumnus of Northeastern State and Langston Universities were added attractions to which one could be very
proud.

During her formative years she met, worked with, and married Alexander Springs who started out as her principal. He
coached the boys' basketball team and later advanced to be the system's superintendent.

Her love for kids and teaching served as a big factor in exhibiting the growing family she experienced having as time
moved on. Besides the three children (Romell, LaShon, and Patricia) born to Alexander and Patricia, several children from the Deaf, Blind, and Orphan Institute came to live with them. The last three (known as their foster children) were Walter Thompson, Vincent Murry and Yavette Alexander. The others did not stay long enough to gain the title of "foster" although they were as welcomed and cared for as Walter, Vincent, and Yavette.

Because the foster care agency did not allow adoption and because
these three had no intention of returning to the institution, the arrangement of foster care (with no financial gratification
indicated) was decided. Scholarships for them permitted extended education in colleges and universities.

At the early age of twelve, she joined Snowden Chapel CME church in Sapulpa and was the pianist for the church and choir under the leadership of Mrs. Darlene Rice. One of the many summers spent in Los Angeles warranted a baptism in the Church of Christ and this membership remained until she was recruited to play for and work for Cole Chapel. During this time, she professed a faith in Christ, joining the Cole Chapel CME church under pastoral leadership of Rev. W. M. Cater. She worked faithfully with the children and adult choirs both for many years.

She organized a band in 1966 and entertained citizens in and around eastern Oklahoma for many years. Being a music
instructor (teaching K-12 music for the system) allowed her to develop a choir that participated in both school and church
functions throughout the community and surrounding areas. She stayed in this capacity until the school closed in 1991. She
then began teaching Social Studies seventh and eighth grade students for a brief two-year period of time.

Her youthfulness would not allow her to retire so she moved on to Roosevelt Elementary School in Tulsa, Oklahoma where she taught for the next five years. Driving to Tulsa every day greatly influenced her decision to retire.

While trying to enjoy her retirement, she was approached and asked if she would fulfill the position of mayor for a citizen who couldn't finish his terms. To help out, she accepted and decided to run for the next term. All went well until 2009 when illness blocked all progress and Mayor Springs found herself unable to finish the term. Her devoted children relocated her and her husband to Georgia where they lived until they were called home to continue the journey planned for them by God Almighty in heaven.

She was preceded in death by her distinguished husband of 49 years, Alexander "Bo" Springs, three dedicated children,
Romell Springs, LaShon Springs, and Patricia Seawright (Ronald Seawright) all of Georgia, three foster children, Walter
Thompson, Vincent Murray, and Yavette (TC) Alexander of OKC, five dynamic grandchildren, Jeremy, Jason, Derrick, Alexia,
and Chase, two brothers Joseph P. McCloskey (Delores) of 29 Palms California, William R. McCloskey of Sapulpa Ok, beloved
nieces, dear nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins, many friends, neighbors, and sorority sisters.

The Hour of Remembrance will commence on Friday, November 6, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. in the New Life Ministries, 204 South Main Street in Taft, Oklahoma. Pastor Michael Gaulden, Sr., is the gracious host and Pastor Sandra Givens, Pastor of Cummings-Cole CME will give the Eulogy.

You may visit Mrs. Springs on Thursday from 12 Noon until 7:00 PM at the funeral home in Muskogee.