Patricia Moses

Patricia Lynn Moses (also known as Mom/Bob/PLM/Sis/Tia) died at home September 13, 2021, surrounded by beloved family and dogs.

After thirty years of remission from breast cancer, in August 2021 she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in her bones and meninges. Thanks to her characteristic energy and optimism, as well as the support of AmberCare hospice, friends, and family, she outlived her prognosis by a year.

PatLynn and her siblings Betty, Jon, and Don were born and raised on farms in Texas and New Mexico. After graduating as valedictorian from Dell City High School, she went to Texas Tech University, where she acquired a degree in education, a passion for art, and a husband, Whitford Lynn. She began her teaching career with first graders, then, after having two children, Kelly and Patrick, she taught adult literacy classes.

She and her family relocated to Oklahoma City, where she focused on family, watercolor painting, and helping out with many organizations (PTA president, Girl Scout leader, OKC Art Guild president, etc.). After she and Whitt separated, she recreated her life, parenting two teenagers and becoming a real estate agent and (briefly) a cocktail waitress. She attended a Beginning Experience weekend for those recently divorced or widowed, and then joined the BE team herself, where she formed many lifelong friendships. In 1981 she married one of those friends, Dale Moses, and they moved to Lawton, Oklahoma. While in Lawton, she began working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, earned masters degrees in Human Relations and Art Therapy, and was successfully treated for advanced breast cancer.

She and Dale returned to Oklahoma City in the early 90s, where she began her longest career, as an art therapist, working initially with adolescents and later with cancer patients and their families. In addition to her regular job, she practiced and taught yoga, worked on her own art projects, conducted retreats, and was a wonderful grandmother.

At retirement she moved to New Zealand with her daughter’s family. She was a good sport during all the rugged and challenging adventures through Madagascar, South Africa, Malaysia and New Zealand. She made friends everywhere she went and had a piece of artwork in progress every step along the way.

After returning from overseas, she decided to relocate to northern New Mexico, where for years she had spent two weeks each summer soaking up the sun, landscape, and community of fellow artists. She settled in Santa Fe where she immediately found new friends in her neighborhood and beyond. She volunteered as a Flower Angel for hospice and even enrolled in college art classes. Her Stitch & Bitch friends were such an important group of ladies to her and during the last year of her life took the opportunity to let Bob know she was loved and appreciated ... even hiring a mariachi band to perform in her front yard for her 80th birthday!

PatLynn is survived by her children Kellylynn McLaughlin and Patrick Lynn, her son-in-law Peter McLaughlin, daughter-in-law Tammy Lynn, grandchildren Paige and Summer McLaughlin,  sibling Betty Bailey, Jon McCoy, and Don McCoy, step-children MaryEllen Partain, Steve Moses, Teri Dalton, step-grandchildren Adrienne Kessinger, Megan Weaver, Ben Partain and Jack Partain.

If you would like to make a memorial donation in her honor these are some of her favorites organizations that she supported:  

Community Palliative Care of Northern New Mexico 618-C East Alameda Santa Fe NM 87501 505-795-4814 https://cpcnnm.org/support-us/

Art Therapy Association of Oklahoma PO Box 300327 Oklahoma City OK 73140 http://www.arttherapyassociationofoklahoma.org/index.html

TRU Community Care 2594 Trailridge Drive East Lafayette CO 80026 303-442-0961 https://www.trucare.org/make-a-donation-to-tru/

The Food Depot 1222 A Siler Road Santa Fe NM 87507 505-471-1633 https://thefooddepot.org

NMPBS 1130 University Boulevard NE Mail Stop:  MSC 12-7110 Albuquerque NM 87102 505-277-2121 https://www.newmexicopbs.org/support/donate/