Patricia Harlow Pangburn

Portrait of Patricia Harlow Pangburn No Headstone Photograph Available

Full Name: Patricia Harlow Pangburn
Location: Section:Patriots' Hill, Section 2 (A)
Row:C  Number:3
Reason for Eligibility: Chairman, Texas Racing Commission 
Birth Date: May 4, 1944 
Died: September 17, 2021 
Burial Date: September 28, 2021 
 

PANGBURN, PATRICIA HARLOW (1944 ~ 2021). The following is an obituary for former Texas Racing Commission Chairman Patricia Pangburn. The obituary was published in the Dallas Morning News on September 26, 2021. 

PANGBURN, Patricia Joyce Harlow 5/4/1944 - 9/17/2021

Breast cancer lost its futile battle against Patricia Harlow Pangburn on September 17, 2021. Pat was 77 years old. The cancer was thirty-something, but frankly, it never stood a chance against a patient with as much fight as Pat.

After her early years in Alton, Illinois, she moved to North Texas for high school and quickly set about making state politics more fair - and more fun - than they'd been before. She was a dyed-in-the-wool, deep blue Democrat who worked on countless campaigns as an epic fundraiser, street-smart strategist, and iron-willed idealist. Always a worthy opponent, Pat took on the powerful with gusto and delighted in being a crucial part of the growing rise of women in Texas Democratic politics.

She found some of her greatest success in Ann Richards' winning race for Governor in 1990 and later served as Richards' appointed chair of the Texas Racing Commission. More than anything, Pat loved to laugh - poking fun at politics, her opponents, and especially herself. While others have claimed credit, it was Pat who coined the phrase, "Politics is show business for ugly people." She came up with the thought as she greeted an elderly politician visiting Texas. He was heavily made up and when she hugged him, Pat realized he was wearing a tight girdle. Politics, she said, "involves the same adulation, the same need to be important. Politics is theatre for people who couldn't make it on the stage."

Politics, with its vanities and egos, policy debates, and possibilities for real change offered the perfect stage for Pat. To be close with her was to be constantly astonished at the reach and depth of her friendships and alliances. She simply knew everything about everyone, from ancient romantic secrets to recent voting records. If Pat loved you, you knew you were well-loved and if she didn't - well, you don't want to know. Her longtime friend, Congressman Martin Frost, remembers her as "Fearless. She didn't have a bashful bone in her body." Pat Pangburn's uncanny power to connect with people was boundless. After two minutes of conversation, she knew who needed her help, exactly what they needed, and who she would introduce them to first. Pat was a fixer; a tireless rebuilder of broken lives. She nursed friends, neighbors, and even casual acquaintances through failed romances, family feuds, professional disasters, and personal crises.

Pat is survived by her partner in crime for 54 years, Dr. Howard Pangburn, who first met Pat when he was studying to be a dentist and she was a college student who needed a filling fast. After marrying in 1967, Howard's military commission sent the two of them to Turkey, returning home after adventures all over Europe and the Middle East. Every fall, they attended the Opening Day of the Texas State Fair, where they spent their very first date. The State Fair will never be the same without her. Pat and Howard settled in the Dallas area and raised their two children, Leslie and Brent.

She loved working on her pottery and painting, masterminding complex political events, and doting on her many pets. Pat is survived by H. Ross Parrot, the only parrot known to mimic Ross Perot. Shrieks of "Now, here's the deal!" still echo in her kitchen. She is also survived by her beloved Bouvier des Flandres, Matts III who loved her as much as she loved him. Pat is also survived by Leslie Pangburn Miller and her husband Jeff, of San Antonio and their daughters, Carson and Addison. Always a kid at heart, Pat loved sending silly videos to her granddaughters, having FaceTime chats with them, and sharing vacations. Leslie was crucial to Pat's cancer treatment, going to every appointment, taking notes, and making TicTok videos of Pat that belied the seriousness of the battle. Brent Pangburn lives in Dallas, where he has found success at the Dallas Morning News, something that made Pat very proud. He knew how much her big, boisterous dog meant to her and arrived at her home each morning to walk him, once her illness made it too difficult for her.

Pat leaves behind a sea of broken-hearted friends, particularly the members of the Pat PAC, a rowdy lunch and politics crowd known for its ability to empty nearby restaurant tables all over Dallas. Pat's family and friends would like to thank her medical team for giving all of us so much extra time with her. Our deepest gratitude goes to her longtime physician Dr. Jeb Miers and her oncologist, Dr. Debu Tripathy, chairman of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Interment will take place at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin on Tuesday, September 28. A celebration of Pat's life will be held later this fall. In place of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center.

 

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