Patricia (Pati) Alice Thurmond Woodhull

Patricia (Pati) Alice Thurmond Woodhull, age 78, went home to be with her Lord August 3, 2017 surrounded by her family. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Alec Woodhull, and her parents, Kenneth and Alice Thurmond. Pati was born June 14, 1939 in Lake City, Florida to Ken and Alice Thurmond. After her father returned from WWII, the family was reunited and moved to Norris, Tennessee where Pati spent an idyllic childhood with her sister Aynn, playing with classmates and exploring the environs of the newly built Norris Dam. She enjoyed the outdoors and camping with her father’s scouting troop—and, family lore says, became quite the sharpshooter with a rifle. Her family moved to Oak Ridge when Pati was a senior where she graduated from Oak Ridge High School in the Spring of 1957. Always one for adventure, Pati left home to attend Florida State University, where she participated in the FSU Flying High Circus, training on the high wire and aerial ballet. It was on the “circus lot” that she met the love of her life, Alec Woodhull. They were married in June of 1958 in Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida, and made their home there for several years where Pati gave birth to firstborn, Shelby Aynn and two years later to second daughter, Lauren Louise. In 1963, business opportunity and mountain vistas called the Woodhull family to Tennessee to settle in Knoxville, where their third child, Kenneth Alexander was born. Pati was a wife, mother, counselor, and homemaker—initially, in Holston Heights, then in West Knoxville where she lovingly created a home known to many as Brambly Hedge. After fully recognizing her Lord and Savior in 1968, Pati and Alec together opened their home and their hearts to hundreds of high school students and college leaders through the ministry of Young Life. Always pioneers rather than settlers, Pati and Alec loved Christ and His Kingdom well through decades of Christian ministry with a variety of organizations and individuals. In 1989, Pati and Alec designed and built another home together, Chimney Hill Farm in Blount County, a sacred refuge to everyone who visited and a treasured experience for a mother-daughter Christmas Tea tradition that lasted 25 years. In the final weeks of her life here, Pati moved into a new home with a view of the mountains that reflected her abiding attention to detail and design. Through Pati’s extraordinary gift of hospitality and affirming spirituality, countless friends and sojourners experienced a taste of God’s extravagant love while with her and in the homes she stewarded so well. Pati loved music, and especially musicals. She was a great listener and a voracious reader. Blessed with a keen eye for beauty and skilled in the art of iconography, she was also adventurous, gentle, and, to those who knew her best, endearingly mischievous. Her deepest and most profound lifelong ministry was to her husband, Alec, and her children and grandchildren, whom she loved, encouraged, cherished, and celebrated. Above all, she found great joy in following Jesus, her beloved Shepherd. Pati leaves behind many beloved friends and family. She is survived by daughter Shelby Trusley (Randy), daughter Lauren Clevenger (Kelly), and son Kenny Woodhull (Doris). She leaves eight grandchildren, Josh (Brooke) Trusley, Jason (Deidra) Trusley, Jenny Wren (Peter) Hall, Aaron (Alicia) Clevenger, Pati Alice (Jeff) Maier, Alec, Miles and Maura Lin Woodhull as well as seven great-grandchildren, Aubrey and Ashley Trusley, Henry and Oliver Trusley, Will and Holston Hall and Lane Clevenger. She is survived by her sister, Aynn Gehron Erickson, many beloved nieces and nephews and dearest family friend, Kristi Simpson. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, August 7, at Apostles Anglican Church, with receiving of friends immediately following. Instead of flowers, gifts may be made to the following: Knoxville Young Life (911 Mountcastle St. SW, Knoxville, TN 37916); Missio Link International (PO Box 725432, Atlanta, GA 31139); Johnson University (Alec H. Woodhull Urban Scholars Fund, 7900 Johnson Dr., Knoxville TN 37998); Apostles Anglican Church (1540 Robinson Rd., Knoxville TN 37923).

Tributes

Patricia (Pati) Alice Thurmond Woodhull

August 3, 2017