Patricia Gober

Lafayette- Patricia Derr McDowell Gober died October 3, 2019 at her home in Youngsville, Louisiana of natural causes. Pat was born September 24, 1942 in Aberdeen, South Dakota to John Derr McDowell and Nina Elizabeth McDowell.

Pat grew up in Aberdeen and attended Central High School. She later graduated from University of South Dakota with a BS in Zoology.

In the late 1960’s Pat married Richard Timken. Their union produced one son, Brian. Pat and Dick moved to Dillon, Montana where he taught biology at Western Montana College. Dick preceded Pat in death.

Pat married Wallace Gober in 1975. Wally taught at Western Montana College and Pat ran a popular restaurant, The Establishment, in the heart of downtown Dillon. Pat’s specialties were her homemade soups and pies. Many wonderful people worked at and patronized The Establishment over the years. Pat treasured them all.

In 1981, Pat and Wally left Dillon to attend The Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Pat completed her MA in Divinity in 1983 and both she and Wally were ordained as Episcopalian priests. At that time, female priests were still somewhat of a novelty. But, that never bothered Pat. She knew her calling was to serve God and His people with love and joy and go where needed. She loved and excelled at seminary and she had a long career serving and helping.

Pat and Wally’s first placement was at St. James Parish in Bozeman, Montana. Pat focused her energy on the church’s campus ministry and enjoyed every minute she spent with the students and their families, MSU faculty and staff members. Their second placement was in service to The Tri-County Episcopal Ministry, located at St. John’s in Ellenville, New York.

In the mid-1990s, they moved to Attleboro, Massachusetts. Pat served as the team leader of the Bristol Cluster (Mansfield, Easton, and Taunton) of the Episcopal Church. She was a gifted leader and her vocation manifested in her work there. Upon her retirement, she and Wally moved to Youngsville, Louisiana to be closer to Brian and their grandson, Isaac.

Her parents and her first husband, Richard, preceded Pat in death.

She is survived by her husband, Wally Gober, her son Brian Timken, and grandson, Isaac Timken, all of Youngsville, LA; her daughter, Heidi Pasek and son-in-law Scott of Great Falls, Montana; her brother, John McDowell and sister-in-law, Ella, of Aberdeen, South Dakota; her cousin Martha Cowie Denton of Florida; her very special nephews James McDowell and his wife Stephanie, John McDowell and his wife Becky and Peter McDowell and his wife Lisa, and grand-nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved to the moon and back.

Pat also reunited with a son she placed for adoption when she was a young woman. Reconnecting with Todd Redding and her grandchildren Alison and Andrew, was a special blessing to Pat.

We remember Pat for her extraordinary spirit, her generosity, her warm, hearty laughter, and her perseverance to the very end. Cremation has taken place. Her family and friends will celebrate her life in the springtime in Montana.

David Funeral Home of Lafayette 316 Youngsville HWY (337) 837-9887 is in charge of the arrangements.