Patricia Ann Rayburn, of Kingwood, Texas, passed away
peacefully in her home in the early hours of April 1st, 2026. She was 82 years
old.
Patricia Ann, or “Pat,” was born to
Scottie Wallace and Walter Gilbreath on January 8, 1944, in Limestone County, Alabama.
In the early years of her life, while her mother Scottie worked, Pat was raised
on the family farm of her grandparents, Floyd and Margaret Wallace, with her great-grandfather,
Thomas Wallace, her maternal aunt, Martha.
Pat’s mother Scottie moved to Oak
Ridge, Tennessee, as one of the thousands of Americans hired to work on the
Manhattan Project in the years during and after World War II. While in Oak
Ridge, Scottie met Ralph John Meyer, a construction electrician from Fayette
County, Texas. The two were married in 1946, and moved for work to Detroit,
Michigan.
Scottie and Ralph, now with Pat,
continued to move for work, this time to Houston. Ralph formally adopted Pat and
raised her with Scottie as their daughter. When her mother took the surname
Meyer, so did Pat. Throughout her life, Pat always looked to Ralph as her
father, although after Ralph passed in 1991.
In 1953, Scottie and Ralph welcomed
a son, Ralph Frederick Meyer, Pat’s only surviving sibling. Despite their
9-year age gap, Pat and her little brother Ralph (aka “Butch”) became “thick-as-thieves”
as Ralph reached adulthood. Pat remained close to her brother until her death.
As a young woman coming of age in
the 1950s, Pat was intelligent, well-read, and independent—"spunky” was a
word often used to describe her. Pat was proud to share a birthdate (January 8th)
with Elvis Presley, the King; she remained a fan of his music throughout her
life. In Pat’s later years, her brother Ralph was known to leave messages on
her answering machine of “Elvis” himself singing Happy Birthday to You, which
delighted her year after year.
Pat was a remarkably good student
and graduated from Galena Park High School in Houston in 1961 at age 17, one
year early. After high school, she sought work in Houston while living at a young
woman’s boarding house. During this time, Pat was set up on a date through a
mutual friend with Paul Rayburn, from Sweeny, Texas. Soon after, Pat and Paul were married January
8, 1962, her 18th birthday.
With Paul, Pat had two sons: Michael
Rayburn (born 1963) and Steve Rayburn (born 1964). They raised the boys in
Houston, in a house on Joliet St. Later, Pat and Paul moved their family to
Sweeney, Texas.
Pat attended Wharton County Junior
College, earning her associate’s degree. After that, she attended the
University of Houston and earned a bachelor’s degree, as well as a Teaching
Certification all while commuting from Sweeny. She became the first person in
either side of her family to earn a college degree. This period marked the
beginning of a long career in education.
Pat’s decades-long career as an
educator moved her around the state of Texas and allowed her to travel the
country. In addition to teaching English and special education in cities across
Texas. Pat became a facilitator for the early adoption of computational
curriculum in schools, which took her around the U.S. on business. In addition,
Pat was a consultant and editor for the Texas Association of School Boards in
Austin, Texas. She taught and worked at schools and school districts in College
Station, San Antonio, Portland, and Pasadena, among others. Through this work,
Pat made a difference in the educational journeys of countless students.
Pat is survived by her two sons
(Mike Rayburn and Steve Rayburn) and daughters-in-law (Melissa and Stephanie);
eight grandchildren (Miles, Coleman, Clay, Marybeth, Kenneth, Miranda, and
Makenzie); nine great-grandchildren (Jair, Elijah, Adelyn, Isaiah, Asher, Noah,
Hannah, Sage, and Bennett); her brother (Ralph Meyer) and sister-in-law (Pamela
Meyer); her niece (Leslie) and nephew (Jon); as well as many friends and
relatives.
Pat was preceded in death by her
great-grandfather (Thomas Wallace), grandmother (Margaret Wallace), grandfather
(Floyd Wallace), mother (Scottie Wallace Meyer), father (Ralph John Meyer), natural
father (Walter Gilbreath) and aunts (Ella Meyer Ruegg, Martha Wallace, Esther
Meyer Suess, Vilma Lee Meyer) and uncles (T.C. Wallace, Oscar Suess, Woodrow
Meyer).
As per her wishes, Patricia will be
buried near the final resting place of her maternal grandparents, Margaret and
Floyd Wallace. Internment services will be held on Wednesday April the 8th
at 10am at the Valley View Church of Christ Cemetery located in Athens, Alabama.
