Patricia “Pat” Ann Stokes Pettys, 78, was born on April 20, 1948, in Bradenton, Florida, and passed away on August 26, 2026, in Tampa, Florida.

Pat was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, John Kenneth Pettys, who passed away in 2025, and her sister, Sarah Jo King.

She is survived by her sister, Sandra Persinger (Wes); sister-in-law, Debbie Newton; brother-in-law, Anthony “Tony” Pettys (Wendy); cousins; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

Pat spent her career working for GTE, which later became Verizon. She and John retired together and were fortunate to enjoy many wonderful years of retirement side by side.

Two of Pat’s greatest joys were photographs of her family and friends and her treasured collection of cookbooks. Her cookbooks told their own story, with pages marked by colorful sticky notes and folded corners highlighting the recipes she hoped to try—or perhaps already loved. Her photographs reflected what mattered most to her: the people she loved and the memories they shared.

During the final years of her life, Pat suffered from dementia, a disease that gradually took away so much. However, it never took away her sense of humor. Even during her final week, she found moments of light amid the seriousness of it all and continued to laugh and smile. Through it all, her family remained devoted to preserving her comfort and dignity while honoring the person she had always been.

Pat will be fondly remembered by her family and all those whose lives she touched.

The family would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the staff and caregivers of Vhin Cares for the kindness and compassion they showed Pat each day. They gave her family invaluable peace and comfort in knowing that she was so lovingly and attentively cared for.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made in Pat’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association to support research, care and assistance for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. https://alzfdn.org/donate/