Patricia Ann McCarty Christensen passed peacefully from this world into heaven on September 6, 2015 after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. Pat was born on July 23, 1933 in Salt Lake City, Utah as the second youngest of 5 siblings. She grew up in the post-depression and WWII era, which greatly impacted her life. She had a good childhood playing with her siblings and going to work with her beloved father in the Parks department. Pat did well in school and graduated from South High School in Salt Lake City. She met her future husband Richard "Dick" Christensen on a blind date arranged by her cousin, June. From that day on, Pat had eyes only for Dick. Following high school, Pat's family moved to Los Angeles, California where she was offered a scholarship at Pepperdine University. However, she decided to attend El Camino College, where she first took art courses. Pat and Dick kept in touch and eventually they became engaged. They married on September 16, 1953 and one year later, had their first child, son Jerry. Pat and Dick went on to have 2 more children, Janis and David. Dick settled into his long career with Shell Oil Company, where they both made many close and long lasting friendships. They lived in various cities in New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana, finally settling in Houston, Texas. They were always involved in their church and volunteered often in their children's activities. They loved to travel and took their children camping throughout the U.S. Together, Pat and Dick visited all 50 states and 22 countries. Some of her fondest memories were trips spent with her family. Pat was a full-time homemaker as well as a volunteer for her church. She also worked part-time in retail and real estate, but her passion was art and design. In college, she dreamed of being a fabric designer and throughout her life she sewed many things for her family. She loved painting but could also be found doing craft project with friends. One of the highlights of her art life was being accepted to study at Glassell School of Art under the guidance of Dick Turner. She worked in various mediums including watercolors, pastels, acrylics, and oils. Many of her works involved landscapes and still life forms. She had a wonderful eye for color and placement. She exhibited her work at shows and enjoyed visiting art galleries. Pat will be best remembered for her love of family, her generosity, her devout faith, and a love of people best exhibited by so many life-long friends. She loved to keep in touch with her friends, relatives, and neighbors and she never hesitated to help others in need. For years, she would lunch regularly with two dear friends from the Shell days, whom she had known for almost 60 years. Pat loved to celebrate and decorate for the holidays with family - these usually included home cooked meals and many rounds of card or board games with her grandchildren. She also hosted many elegant tea parties for her granddaughters. Other hobbies of Pat's included antiquing, sewing, decorating, shopping, and working Sudoku and crossword puzzles. Pat's life-long love for all of the arts also extended to literature, plays and especially paintings. She enjoyed visiting the Houston Museum of Art and seeing Broadway plays. But most importantly, she was the glue that brought and kept the family together. Pat was preceded in death by her loving husband Richard (Dick) Christensen, parents Esther and Jerry McCarty, her two brothers Gerald McCarty and Tom Ellsberry and wives, in-laws Elroy and Geneal Christensen and brother-in law Paul Christensen. Pat is survived by her three children Jerry Christensen (Carol), Janis Christensen Fowler (Ned), and David Christensen (Mary); her beloved grandchildren Robert, Hannah, Harrison, Libby, and Emalee; her sisters Donna Adams and Margie McDermott; her in-laws Bruce and Pat Christensen, and Delores Christensen as well as many cousins. The family will receive friends from 6-8:30 pm on Thursday, September 10, 2015 at Kingwood Funeral Home, 22800 Highway 59 North, Kingwood. Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 pm Friday, September 11, 2015 at Holy Comforter Church, 1901 Woodland Hills Drive in Kingwood, TX 77339. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Pat's name to Holy Comforter Lutheran Church 281-358-6500 for youth ministries or to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts/Glassell School of Art at 713-639-7500.