Patricia "Pat" Venner

Mildred Patricia (Pat) Paschall Venner passed away in Mesquite, Texas on April 12, 2017. She was born in Long Creek Community (now Sunnyvale, Texas) on May 16, 1932, to Earle Paschall and Mildred Lewis Paschall. She was the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Paschall, of Sunnyvale, and the late Mr. and Mrs. John E. Lewis of Forney. She was the great-great-granddaughter of Captain and Mrs. A.W. Webb who in 1879, along with William H. Caldwell, deeded to the citizens of Long Creek the first two acres of land from the Webb Crownover Survey to be used as a public graveyard. Pat’s father, Earle Paschall, later deeded adjoining land for additional gravesites, and after her parents’ deaths, she and her brother sold their homestead to New Hope Funeral Home. Pat attended schools in Mesquite where she graduated from Mesquite High School in 1949. She attended college at North Texas State University, majoring in business. During high school and college, Pat worked with her brother, Dr. Earle Paschall, who also preceded her in death. After college, she went to work in the oil industry. She worked in the gas, accounting, purchasing and railroad departments of Sun Oil Company. Later, she was the Executive Secretary for the Secretary-Treasurer for Seaboard Oil. When Seaboard Oil merged with Texaco, Inc. she continued as an Executive Secretary in the Division Manager’s Department. She retired when she started her family, and her children, George Adams Venner, Jr., of Mesquite, Texas, and Vali Venner Dicus of Heath, Texas survive her. She is also survived by her husband George Adams Venner, Sr., son-in-law, Brian Dicus and grandchildren Beau Dicus and Cady Dicus of Dallas, Texas. Pat and George were longtime residents of Mesquite where she and George are known for their untiring civic and community work. In all of George’s activities including Mayor of Mesquite, she offered her support. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mesquite for sixty-three years where she served as a Deacon and Trustee. She was a member of the Geneva Fellowship Class and the Women’s Tuesday Circle where she served on numerous committees. She held perfect attendance pins for thirteen years. She loved the fellowship of fellow Christians. Other civic activities include Charter Member and Past President of the Sunnyvale Garden Club, where she learned to appreciate flower arranging and keeping a beautiful yard. She and George have been awarded the Yard of the Month several times by the City of Mesquite for their efforts. Along with George, Pat delivered Meals on Wheels for over twenty years. She developed an interest in cooking and baking at an early age and was awarded many ribbons at the State Fair of Texas, but her Blue Ribbon for the Best of Show for her Chiffon Cake was her pride. Pat has served as President of the Mesquite Ex-Students Association, President of the All-City Woman’s Club, President of SMU’s Tri Delta Sorority Mother’s Club, President of the Triskelions and President of the Mesquite Woman’s Club. She has been on the board and a member of the Long Creek Cemetery Association, a member of the Mesquite Theatre, Mesquite Symphony, the Guild, Historic Mesquite and Mesquite Jaycettes. Funeral services are arranged by New Hope Funeral Home which is located on her family’s old home place on Highway 80 in Sunnyvale, Texas. Visitation will be held there on Sunday, April 16, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Services will be at the First Presbyterian Church of Mesquite on Monday, April 17, 2017 at 11:00 a.m.Rev. Tom Wilbanks and Rev. Harry Meissner will officiate at her service. Burial will be at the Long Creek Cemetery in Sunnyvale, Texas, at 1:30 p.m. where her ancestors are interred. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1028 S. Belt Line Rd., Mesquite, TX 75149 or Spellman Museum, P.O. Box 317, Forney, TX 75126.