Obituaries

Patricia Pearle Kus

Photo of Patricia Pearle Kus
Patricia (Pat) Pearle McKinney-Szmyd-Kus, 93, died peacefully on Dec. 27, 2016 in Springdale of natural causes. Born on Oct. 18, 1923, six miles south of Berryville, Ark., in the township of Cabanal she was the 10th of 13 children and was the last to survive of her siblings. Pat was preceded in death by her parents: Samuel Jefferson and Melinda "Tinnie" Gage-McKinney. Six Brothers: Elmo McKinney, Olsie McKinney, Bruce McKinney, Joe McKinney, Bob McKinney, & Don McKinney. Six Sisters: Lorene Bailey, Hilda Swan, Dixie Walker, Avo Moeller, Blossom Brawley, Helen Ross, One daughter, Patricia "Patsy" Szmyd-Trollinger in 2012, her first husband and father of the children; Henry John Szmyd in 1975, and her second husband Walter A. Kus in 2009. Pat is survived by her four sons: Johnny Szmyd and Lila of Studio City California, Gary Szmyd and Jill of Fayetteville, Ark., Douglas Szmyd and Hui of San Francisco, Calif., Stan Szmyd of Springdale. Six grandchildren: Marni Meeks, Joshua Trollinger, Alex Pacheco, Eve Ventrella, Garrison Szmyd, and McKinney Szmyd. Six great grandchildren; two sister-in-laws: Pauline McKinney of Benton Arkansas, and Willie McKinney of Portland, Ore., and dozens of nieces, nephews and cousins. Special thanks to: Sharon McGuire, Maybelle Martin, Monette Lizarraga, and Vickie Henderson as well as the entire staff at Windcrest Health & ReHab for many years of caregiving, loving support, and friendship to Pat. Pat was a vibrant, adventurous, outgoing personality. After graduating high school from School of the Ozarks, at the age of 18, she moved to San Francisco and worked for the Navy Department where she met her first husband - Hank. They married in Santa Cruz, Calif., and lived there briefly before moving to Chicago where their first three children were born. After convincing her husband that Arkansas was the place to grow the family, they moved to Eureka Springs in the 1950's and then to Springdale in 1957. In earlier years Pat worked for the Springdale Memorial Hospital and the Washington County Health Department. Her passions were volunteering with the Springdale Auxiliary for 25 years as well as the Senior Center and many active years in various roles at her church Wesley United Methodist. Pat competed and won MS Senior NW Arkansas and competed for MS Senior Arkansas in the 1980's. Activist Pat was very civic oriented and spent several years working for improvements to streets and neighborhoods throughout the City of Springdale. A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church in Springdale on Jan. 9, 2017 at 11 a.m. with Reverend Judy Van Hoose officiating. The service is under the direction of Memorial Funeral Home, 3926 Willowood Ave. Springdale, Ark. 72762. Pat will be buried next to her first Husband at a private family burial in Bluff Cemetery. Suggested charities are the Northwest Medical Center Hospital Auxiliary or Circle of Life Hospice in Springdale. Online condolences may be made to www.memorialfhspringdale.com.

Published January 1, 2017

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