Patricia Linseisen Obituary

Patricia Kay Shockley Linseisen, 85, passed away peacefully at home in Lawrence, Kan., on Aug. 29, 2023, surrounded by her family, which was exactly as she wished.



Patricia was born March 8, 1938, in Oklahoma City, Okla. She moved frequently in her childhood, as her father was employed by an oil company and often tasked with setting up initial operations for new drilling sites. She graduated from Lafayette High School, in Lafayette, La., in 1956, and then attended the University of Houston, where she received a bachelor's degree in education.

After graduation she began teaching elementary school for the U.S. Department of Defense and was first stationed at Wheelus Air Base in Tripoli, Libya.

While there she met a reserved, steadfast Air Force pilot, Maj. Frank Linseisen, who was supposedly so smitten that he "commandeered" a plane to whisk her away for a romantic outing. The two were next stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where they continued their courtship before moving back to the United States to marry and start their family.

Patricia loved to share stories of her adventures when she would go wherever the next transport was headed at a time that it was unusual to see women traveling alone. Their family home was filled with artwork, furniture and other interesting objects from their many excursions around the world. She also embraced eating natural foods, meditation and yoga long before they were widely practiced, much to the dismay of her children, who would sneak over to friends' houses to try the foods that were advertised on TV.

She was a dutiful military wife, helping to move the family around the country countless times for Frank's various assignments. Wherever possible, she tried to secure off-base housing and send her kids to local schools to provide them with as typical a childhood as possible.

Once their children were older, Patricia resumed teaching, first at Belmont Academy, and then Opelousas Catholic, both in Opelousas, La. Following a relocation to Farmington, N.M, she began her most cherished teaching assignment, living in the Navajo Nation and teaching at Cove Day School in northeastern Arizona for many years.

She greatly enjoyed the challenge and freedom of working at the small, remote school, at one time teaching third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades in one room at the same time. As a teacher, "Mrs. Lin" was both strict and kind, and believed passionately in giving all children the best possible environment for learning. She was recognized for her innovative curriculum and resourcefulness, including her "I Ate My Math" lesson plans and having her students write letters requesting dice from the Dunes Casino in Las Vegas to help them with multiplication skills. It was not uncommon for students to reach out years later to thank her for making a difference in their lives.

Those close to her also knew her as a bit of a firebrand, unafraid to express her opinions and fearless in advocating for the people and causes near and dear to her heart. Whether protesting certain government positions, advocating for better resources and nutrition for children in the Navajo Nation, or serving as the local representative for the American Federation of Teachers union, her friends and colleagues often affectionately referred to her as a "force of nature."

Patricia was preceded in death by her brother, U.S. Air Force Capt. Jerry M. Shockley, and is survived by her husband, Frank; a daughter, Sharmion Linseisen-Kerley, and her husband, Robert; a son, Jerry "Marty" Linseisen, and his wife, Helen; and her beloved canine companion, Ginger. She also had three grandchildren, Erik and Anders Linseisen, and Kai Phoenix.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Lawrence Humane Society in Lawrence, Kan.