Patricia "Pat" D. Jenkins aged 77 of Gadsden, Alabama peacefully left her
earthly home on April 25, 2025, surrounded by her loving family and in the
comfort of her own home. She was preceded in death and welcomed home
by her adopted parents Warren G. and Lorene "Cap" Bolt, her sisters Paula
Garmany and Phyllis Hancock, brothers Perry and Phillip Hancock, her
biological mother Mary Ruth Bolt, and great grandson Dutton Jenkins. She
leaves to cherish her memory; her husband of 58 years Fred R. Jenkins,
daughters Amy (Gerald) Jenkins, Lori (John) Cornelison, grandchildren JoAnna
(Matty) LaPoint, Braydon (Ashley) Jenkins, and great grandson Lucien
LaPoint, as well as brother Paul (Martha) Hancock. As per her request and
preference, no service will be held and her family and loved ones are
encouraged to celebrate her on their own terms.
Born Jun 12, 1947, in Gadsden, Alabama, Pat brought light into this world
with her infectious laugh and contagious smile. Her personality shone
brighter than the sun and she was the life of our family. She was lucky
enough to marry her high school sweet heart Fred, on December 23, 1966.
For 20 years they roamed the globe under his service to the United States
Army seeing parts of the world most people from her small hometown only
dreamed about. The only complaint she ever had was missing him on his two
tours of duty in Vietnam. She and Fred stood by one another for 60 years
through everything life had to throw at them. There has never been a more
unwavering testament to love than the admiration and care shown between
these two. In 1970 they welcomed their first daughter Amy into the world
and shortly after in 1974 welcomed Lori to the family. She was a wonderful
mother and dedicated herself entirely to the love and care of her children
and later in 1992 became a grandmother at the birth of JoAnna. In 1995
another grandchild, Braydon was born, and she took on the new title with
grace, dignity, and more love than can be typed here. She spent countless
hours coloring with her grandchildren, swimming, and sneaking them ice
cream cones even when they didn't deserve them. She showed up to every
ball game, every marching band event, and every pageant. She was always
there to lend an ear or a helping hand and had more words of support than
the average human can carry in a lifetime. In her golden years she welcomed
the birth of her great grandson Lucien in 2020, and the joy overflowed from
her eyes and heart every day. In her down time, she enjoyed macrame,
romance novels, word searches, and Tetris on the Gameboy. She also beat
the old school Atari Pacman at least 3 times causing the scoreboard to roll
over back to zero. In her later years, her husband Fred stood by her and took
amazing care of her, wholly dedicated to his beloved no matter how difficult
it became. He was beside her until the very end. She maintained from birth
to death, a childlike innocence and wonder for the world that she instilled in
her children and grandchildren. She leaves behind a legacy of love and
laughter that cannot be replicated nor replaced. She will be sorely missed by
all who knew her. For family and friends looking for a way to celebrate her
existence, plant a rose bush in her name. Special thanks to Gentiva Hospice
and Crestwood Memorial Cemetery and Funeral Home for her end-of-life aid.