Patsy (Clawson) Cornelius

1932 - 2018 Funeral services for Patsy (Clawson) Cornelius, 86, of Beaumont, Texas, will be held on Saturday, July 28, 2018, at 2:00 p.m., at the Claybar Kelley-Watkins Chapel. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, July 27, 2018, from 5:00pm-7:00pm, at Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home in Beaumont. Patsy Floye Clawson was born February 18, 1932 in Beaumont, Texas to Beulah Marie "Gracie" Lyons and Raibon I. Clawson, and passed away on July 25, 2018 in Beaumont. After graduating Beaumont High School in 1950, she married her high school sweetheart, James "Jim" Reagan Cornelius, and dedicated herself to raising their three beautiful girls, Deborah, Pamala, and Karry. She worked for the Calcasieu Parish School Board for several years while living in Sulphur, Louisiana. When she was 41, after her family moved back to Beaumont, she enrolled in Lamar University nursing school with her daughter, Pamala, and both completed their nursing degree together. Upon graduation, Patsy worked as a nurse at the Women's and Children's Pavilion at Baptist Hospital. Later she worked for the great Dr. Joseph P. Derrick for many years until she retired to run the roads with her husband. As a nurse, she was well-regarded for her tireless work ethic, sound judgment, and bedside manner. She was an active member of Wesley United Methodist Church. She was also very active in Curves fitness center for women. She was predeceased in death by her parents, Raibon (1934) and Gracie (1979), and her seven brothers and sisters, Jack (1922), Marie (1927), Don (1994), Gloria "Bootsy" (1995), Harold "Hal" (1995), Andrew "Andy" (2007), and Betty "Cooter" (2015). She is survived by her loving husband, best friend, and soul-mate of 68 years, Jim; their three daughters, Deborah, Pamala and husband James Edwards, and Karry and husband Claude Whitaker; six grandchildren, Dustin and wife Alison, Kaz and wife Mary, Summer and husband Justin, Megan and husband Chad, Brooke and husband Matt, and Clint and wife Meagan; twelve great-grandchildren, Sean, Ali, Mattie, Payslee, Talon, Scout, Noah, Beckett, Gray, Ella, Kali, and McKinley; many nieces and nephews; and special friends, Mike and Rose Clark. Pat could do anything. She repaired cars and mended our wounds. She made her girls dresses and formal gowns. She was strong-minded but gentle-hearted. She loved to dance and taught her grandchildren how to jitterbug. She loved to play the slot machines in Louisiana. She was modest and well-kept. And her house was always clean and organized. She was a Democrat and let you know it. We will miss her soft skin. Her laugh. Her folksy sayings. Her political debates.
Her showering us with gifts at Christmas. We will miss her phone calls. Her telling us what we need to hear, even when we don't want to hear it. Her grit. Her gadgets. Her "Jimmy"! We were blessed to have known her and loved her. We are blessed to have been able to take in her sage advice. She taught us the right way to do things - her way. We are proud to call her our wife, mother, and Nana. She altered all of our life trajectories for the better. She will be dearly missed.