At the beginning of the Great Depression in 1929; when the world was falling into despair, a shining light was born on Dec. 17, 1929, Patricia Elisabeth Pfeiffer Jaynes. It is with great sadness that Pat Jaynes passed away on March 15, 2025. We know for all those who knew her, worked with her, and volunteered with her, were taught and guided by her that the light will never dim.

She was born in Norwalk, Ohio and passed away in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She was raised in Ohio and graduated from Ohio State University with a BS degree in Education. Over her early years she lived in Ohio, Kentucky, & Nebraska. She had 5 children: John Jaynes, Joe Jaynes, Jeff Jaynes, Jenny Jaynes Broyles, and Jean Ann Jaynes Jacobs. She settled in Stillwater OK in 1968. Pat spent years as a Boy Scout and Girl Scout Leader, Sunday School Teacher, and running PTAs & Music Clubs. She participated in plays at Town and Gown Theater, she was President for the Oklahoma State Chapter of Mortar Board, she enjoyed Gourmet Club dinners, and Books Clubs all while raising 5 successful, independent children. She studied and received her Masters Degree in Counseling and Special Education at Oklahoma State University. In the late 1980s pat accepted a position providing counseling and teaching Special Education to students through the Department of Defense at Military Schools in Japan, England, Iceland, and Germany. This afforded her an amazing 10 years of enjoying life overseas, exploring castles, the Pyramids, Jerusalem, Vietnam, and Africa. She even climbed to the top of Mount Sinai and quipped that she ran into Moses.

When she returned from being overseas and retired from the Department of Defense, she chose to live in Stillwater OK. During these years pat was a Docent at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve and for many years she was very active in the Stillwater League of Women Voters. She spent years encouraging and registering voters, loved Pie Day at The Payne County Fair, teaching English to students through the Literacy Counsel and worked hard to establish the Teal Ridge Wetlands. She delivered home meals for several years to many elderly Stillwater residents. She served as President on the Board of the Stillwater History Museum at the Sheerar. Pat was long-time member of the First Presbyterians Church of Stillwater.

What a wonderful life she had! Her family knows that this is not the end, but only the beginning of her soul sailing over all the places she visited almost all 50 states in the US and all the countries she explored while living overseas. Her love of life, her legacy, her spicy personality, her leadership, and her love of nature will continue through her five children, her many grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

A private graveside service will be held for family, but a celebration of life will be held later this coming spring for those that knew her.

In honor of Pat, the family has requested that donations in her memory be mailed to

United Way Payne County

P.O. Box 308

Stillwater OK