PATSY LAVERN (JONES) POLLAT:
April 2, 1948–May 3, 2025
My mom came into this world on April 2, 1948, in Deport, Texas. From
an early age, her parents, Thelma Pauline Eaton and Raymond Claude Jones, knew they had a firecracker on their hands.
She joined her older sister, Shirley Inez, and — somewhere between the hugs, kisses, and sisterly squabbles — they awaited the arrival of their younger siblings, Clifford Claude, Daniel Ray, and Rebecca Lynn Jones
Together, they built the kind of sibling bonds that only grow from shared roots and rural dirt. Their childhood unfolded on the family farm near Talco, Texas, where barefoot summers, chores, and adventures became the backdrop of their growing years.
In November of 1955, Janie Sue Alford married Patsy’s father and became not just a step-mother, but a teacher, a confidante, and a true mother — one my mom cherished for life.
Mom spent her youth in Talco, attending school and creating a treasure trove of memories with friends, cousins, and animals. Her world was
one of wide skies, hot Texas days, and the warmth of a large, close-knit family filled with laughter and love.
In 1965, she set out for her next great adventure, traveling to Valentine, Nebraska, where she met James Arthur Peterson. They married on Nov. 15, 1966, in Martin, South Dakota, and settled on the Peterson Ranch in Todd County, South Dakota.
Their son, Ardel Jorge, was born on Jan. 21, 1968, followed closely by their daughter, Dede Meré, on Dec. 9 of that same year. Mom dove into motherhood raising babies, living ranch life, determined to make a home for her little family.
In 1972, her marriage to Jim came to an end. With two young children and a heart still full of grit, she packed up and moved to Moorcroft, Wyoming, to be near the support of
her family, who had relocated there in 1969.
The years in Moorcroft as a single mom weren’t easy, but Mom always found a way. She kept the bills paid, kept my brother and me in line (most of the time), and stayed close to the people who mattered most. During those years, she welcomed many nieces and nephews into the world and quickly earned a reputation for being the one with the best stories and the loudest laughs at family gatherings.
At some point, she became lovingly known as “Aunt Weezer” — a nickname she wore like a badge of honor.
In 1995, Mom met the love of her life, Roger Vern Pollat. Roger became her rock and her partner. They were married on Sept. 3, 1996, in Newcastle, Wyoming, and with that union, her family grew to include Paul, Wayne, and Julie Pollat.
Mom and “Mr. P,” as she affectionately called him, built a life together in Sundance, Wyoming, and Newcastle before eventually settling at the Pollat family ranch south of Newcastle. Her years with Mr. P were truly the happiest of her life. She blossomed into the roles of grandmother and “GG” with pride and pure joy, wrapping her arms around an expanding family.
Together, they made memories filled with love, laughter, and a few wild adventures — many years of stories, life adventures and the kind of steady love that gave her spirit peace.
Patsy is survived by her husband of 28 years, Roger Pollat; her son, Ardel (Shannon) Peterson, and daughter, Dede Peterson; and by her bonus children, Paul Pollat, Wayne (Christina) Pollat, and Julie Hughes. Her grandchildren include Emilie (Justin) Canter, Colby Hale, Colt (Andrea) Peterson, Bryce (Emily) Peterson-Wood, Shyane (Matt) Parks, Tyler (Jodi) Peterson-Wood, Rylan Hughes, Hadlie Hughes, Jolene Pollat, Madison Pollat, and Payson Pollat. With many funny and fond memories, her much-loved sisters surviving her are Shirley Duncan (Richard Tapparo) and Rebecca (Randall) Blakeman.
Mom was always proud to boast of her loved and cherished great-grandchildren, and the
many nieces, nephews, and extended family members who filled her life with laughter,
love and craziness.
Mom was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond Claude Jones, Janie Sue Jones, and Thelma Murray; her little brother, Clifford Claude Jones; her much-loved brother, Daniel Ray Jones; and precious niece, Heather Eileen Blakeman.
Patsy had the unique ability of befriending anyone, something I always admired in her. She extended a listening ear, friendship and usually weaving a story into the conversation
to most everyone she met. Always ending phone calls and conversations with “I love you more” in that slight Texas drawl she never quite lost.
True to form, Mom made it clear she didn’t want a funeral. She had every intention of celebrating her own life at the family reunion — but as it happened, her journey to her heavenly home came just a bit earlier than planned. Even in her final days, she faced cancer with courage, strength, and a sense of peace that was all her own.
As a family, we invite all who knew and loved her to join us in celebrating her life at 2 p.m. on July 19 at 7 Birch Street in Pine
Haven, Wyoming.