Margaret Patricia Gay O'Connor

Margaret Patricia Gay (Pat) O’Connor peacefully passed away at her home June 8, 2024 at one hundred years of age.  A loving Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, Pat was born July 27, 1923, in Dayton, Texas to parents Frank E Gay and Mary Welder Gay.   She attended Rice University when she met Lyle O’Connor, her husband of thirty years.   They were married in 1942 and raised six children, having a full life in Houston.  She had a deep faith and was a lifelong Catholic, attending St. Christopher Catholic Church and St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church during her life.  Pat earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Houston and spent many years teaching at St Christopher Catholic School in Houston.  

Pat developed a love of travel, leading to many adventures around the world. She was not one to ever sit still, had a passion for learning and could remember many detailed accounts to share with those she loved.  Pat was an avid bird watcher and was a member of the Texas Ornithological Society in Houston.   She was often found with binoculars around her neck and a keen eye toward the sky.  

Pat returned to Dayton in1999, after overseeing the reconstruction of her childhood home.   She enjoyed many afternoon sundowners with extended family and friends.  She was an active member of the Lower Trinity Valley Bird Club and spent many hours volunteering as a member of the Friends of the Trinity River Refuge.  

She enjoyed her membership in the Altar Guilds of both St. Joseph the Worker and St. Christopher Catholic Churches.  

Pat is preceded in death by her parents, Mary Welder and Frank E. Gay; her husband, Francis Lyle O’Connor; and her siblings, Elizabeth Bennett, Julia Pratka, Gloria Miller, Francis Gay, William Gay and Bernard Gay.

Pat is survived by her six children, Margaret (Peggy) O’Connor, Mary Hannigan, Maureen O’Connor, Gay Wehrman and husband John, Kevin O’Connor, and John O’Connor; as well as nine grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Monday, June 17^th at Pace-Stancil Funeral Home in Dayton, TX. The family will receive guests at 6pm with a rosary service at 7 o’clock.   A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, June 18^th at 11am at St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Dayton, TX with a burial to follow at the Liberty Catholic Cemetery, at the family plot.    In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a gift to the charity of your choice or the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Pat to support cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber.org/gift.