A graveside memorial service celebrating the life of Valentine "Pat" Thomason will be conducted by Rev. Dick Sawyer at Gill Cemetery on Monday, December 16, 2013, at 3:30 p.m. in Marshall, Texas under the direction of Downs Funeral Home. Honor escort for his "Nanny" will be Landon Weslee Hearne. The family will be receiving friends for visitation at Downs Funeral Home from 2:00-3:00 p.m. prior to the service. Valentine "Pat" Rhodes Thomason passed away Thursday, December 12, 2013 after a lengthy illness. Although she had gone through many months of pain, Pat was never one to complain. Pat was born on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1919 in Marshall, Texas to R.L. (Bob) Rhodes and Effie Hensley Rhodes. She graduated from Marshall High School in 1936 and Brantley-Draughon Business College in Ft. Worth, Texas. She married Ben W. Thomason on February 8, 1941 and they spent 59 wonderful years together. They went everywhere together and were inseparable. She was a longtime member of Central Baptist Church since 1946, and was a member of the Lydia Sunday School Class and Woos, Wise Old Owls organization, at the church. She was employed at Marshall Memorial Hospital as secretary to Oscar B. Jones, Administrator, for nine years; she was Chief Clerk of the Marshall Draft Board; and then worked at The First National Bank of Marshall as secretary of the Trust Department for 23 years, retiring in 1984. Pat was a pillar of strength to her family, a devoted wife to her husband, Ben, a loving mother to her two daughters, Sandra and Patricia, proud grandmother to her granddaughter, Kelli, and great grandmother to her great granddaughter, Ashlee and great grandson, Weslee. She loved going to all of their activities and being their most avid supporter. She loved cooking, collecting cookbooks, shopping, eating out, traveling, and attending Southern Gospel Concerts. She was preceded in death by her parents; loving husband, Ben; four sisters, Jewel Thorn, Gladys Cook, Ollie Zaner, and Irma Prince; a brother, Tardy Crim Rhodes, and one foster brother, W.F. "Pinky" Hill. Mrs. Thomason is survived by her two daughters, Sandra Sheridan and husband, Richard of Marshall, TX, and Patricia Dzurik and husband, Dr. Gerald Dzurik of Shreveport, LA; granddaughter, Kelli Hearne and husband, Ricky of Mansfield, TX; great granddaughter, Ashlee Peralez and husband, Alex; great grandson, Landon Weslee Hearne of Mansfield, TX; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family would like to express their deepest appreciation to Pat's sitters, Jo, Bertha, Diane and Lori for their love, prayers, and care during Pat's last days, and also to the Oakwood House special friends and staff, Marshall Manor, and HeartsWay Hospice for their dedication and love. The family requests that memorials be made to the Gill Cemetery Association, C/O Ned Calvert, 11345 South Hwy. 59, Marshall, Texas 75672. Pat will always be remembered for her sweet smile and spirit, soft manner, and generosity to all. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. This saying was found among her papers, "It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"