Patricia Ellen Boatner (Jefcoat)

Patricia Ellen Boatner (Jefcoat) of Harrison, Tennessee passed peacefully from this life into the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on May 15, 2024.  Patricia was loved by all who knew and met her, and she loved others well.  

Patricia was born in Lynn, Massachusetts on September 10, 1935 and considered that home until she met the love of her life, Bobby G. Boatner, and relocated to his home in Long Beach, Mississippi in 1958. It was during this time that she met the Lord Jesus and gave her life to serve Him while attending First Baptist Church of Long Beach, MS.  

She enjoyed and excelled at being a wife, mom and homemaker, serving her church, leading bible studies and working with youth.  She and Bobby had a faithful, loving relationship and together faced their life and trials fully committed to one another. In 1981, she and Bobby and her two daughters relocated to Longview, Texas.  In 1987, Patricia lost her beloved Bobby.  Faced with a life she didn’t plan; she chose to attend nursing school at Kilgore College and became an LVN at the age of 54 embarking on a new career that would span 26 years. Her first job was at a nursing home, and she considered it a ministry to care for the elderly with dignity and compassion. In 1994, she met and married Bobby Jefcoat and they enjoyed companionship along with many family gatherings, holidays, and birthday parties.  Together they made Fellowship Baptist Church their home and built many deep and lasting friendships there.  During this season, she counted it a privilege to be able to care for her mother in their home until she passed just shy of her 100^th birthday in 2010. She retired from nursing in 2015, at the age of 80 to care for Bobby until he passed in 2021.    While the last three years of her life were filled with medical and physical challenges, her faith never waned, and she continued to encourage her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to look to Jesus in any trial.  She faithfully lived out many of Paul’s words to the Philippians, such as considering others as more important than yourselves and counting it all joy when she faced various trials.

She was preceded in death by her father, Robert H. Carter; her mother, Lucille K Carter; her beloved husband, Bobby Boatner and her second husband, Bobby Jefcoat.  Patricia is survived by her brother, Robert (Nancy) Carter; two daughters, Lori (Brian) Greer and Sheri (Ron) Schmitz; and five grandchildren she adored, Kathleen (Zach) Sharp, Haley (Josh) Gatlin, Hannah Greer, Annie Schmitz and Benjamin Greer.  In addition, she’s survived by three great-grandchildren whom she loved dearly, Shiloh, Finnley and Rowan Sharp.  

A private graveside service will be held at 2:00 pm on Monday, May 20, 2024 at Gulf Pines Memorial Gardens, Long Beach, MS, where she will be interred next to her beloved husband, Bobby Boatner. Riemann Family Funeral Home, Long Beach is serving the family.   Memories and photos may be shared at www.riemannfamily.com

In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in her name to your favorite Christ-centered ministry or church in the furtherance of God’s Kingdom.