Patricia "Patty" Gail (Smith) Buckley

Patricia “Patty” Gail Buckley, 85, of Amarillo, passed peacefully on February 12, 2024.

A celebration of Patty’s life will be held on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 2:00 pm in the parlor of her beloved Park Place Towers, 1300 S. Harrison St, with Dr. Murray Gossett of First Presbyterian presiding. A private family graveside will be held prior to the service.

Patricia (Patty) Gail Buckley was born January 6, 1939 in Amarillo, Texas. She was a loving wife, homemaker, faithful Christian and independent spirit. She graduated from Amarillo High School and in 1960, married Don Buckley, a local CPA. Patty had a variety of interests. She was a community volunteer, marvelous seamstress and some said the best cook in Amarillo helping form a gourmet dinner club with friends from across the city. She and her sister, Sue Whitlock ran a successful cottage catering business–PS Catering. If you wanted a unique and delicious cake, they were ones to call! Patty was also a very active community volunteer.  A Cadet Girl Scout herself, she was also a troop leader for many years.  She also devoted many hours as a docent at Harrington House as well as a clinic assistant at the Harrington Cancer Center. Patty served as President of the CPA Wives Club, Treasurer of the Amarillo Junior League and Secretary of the First Presbyterian Church’s Nuff organization.

As busy as she was, she always had time for her two daughters Becky and Teresa, and her four grandchildren Jake, Maddie, Cole and Noah. Patty was affectionately known as “Big Momma” to her four grandchildren as well as to anyone who met her later in life.  It was a fitting name because Patty lived life in a Big Way with her love of travel, cooking, and wine…she never met a ‘Red’ she didn’t like! Patty was predeceased by her husband of 46 years James Donald Buckley and brother-in-law, Jim Whitlock.

She is survived by her daughters Becky Buckley and Teresa Kennedy and her husband Paul Kennedy–all of Austin Texas, her brother Robert H. Smith and wife, Judi, her sister Sue Whitlock, and grandchildren Jake Bitting and wife Tess Cumpstone of Columbus, Ohio, Madeline Lewis and husband Zach of New York City, Cole Kennedy and Noah Kennedy of Austin, and numerous nieces. Finally, the family would like to thank Patty’s faithful caregiver extraordinaire–Vanessa Cole who made her daily health struggles filled with laughter and always a bit of sassiness. Vanessa also always made Patty her number one priority just as Patty did with family, friends and Bingo.

In lieu of flowers, honorariums may be made to The Opportunity Plan, Inc. 504 24th St, Canyon, TX 79015, in honor of Patty Buckley.