Patricia Franklin

Patricia Mae Hayes Franklin, 78, left for her heavenly home on January 14, 2010. She was born January 4, 1932 at San Angelo, Texas to John H. and Mae Elizabeth Hayes. She graduated from high school in 1950 from San Angelo and attended North Texas State University on a music scholarship. She played the Bassoon for Symphonies in San Angelo, Tyler and El Paso, Texas.

In 1953, she attended a bull fight in Cuidad Acuna with relatives and fell in love with the grace and art of bull fighting. She began her training in Mexico City and took up the art of bull fighting for ten years. She fought in Mexico, Portugal and Equador. She was lauded as one of the best American Matadoras in the world and was known as the Grace Kelly of the Bull Ring because of her blue eyes and blonde hair. She was the only girl to ever appear in a bull ring in Lisbon, Portugal during this time period. Then came a triumphant tour of Southern France and North Africa which made Pat the bull fighting queen of three continents.

She was a member of St. Lukes United Methodist Church in Odessa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Richard Franklin, sisters Lucille Farmer of Andrews, Doris Anderson of Midland, Florine Hensley of Odessa and Iraan, Dorothy Lowe of Sterling City and brother Bill Hayes of El Paso.

She is survived by her sister Mary Wunderl of San Angelo nephews Malcolm Hensley and wife Marie of Odessa, Johnnie Wunderl of San Angelo nieces, Jo Anna Pope and husband Robert of Marble Falls, Adele Waring of Austin, Sue Sims and husband Senator Bill Sims of San Angelo and numerous great nieces and nephews, including Rene Burks of Boardman, Ohio, formally of Odessa.

Funeral services will be held Sunday, January 17, 2010, at 2:00 PM at Sunset Funeral Home Chapel in Odessa, Texas. Viewing will begin at noon on Sunday, prior to funeral service. Interment will be at 2:00 PM Monday, January 19, 2010 at Grove Hill Memorial Park in Dallas, Texas.

Visitation

Sunset Memorial Funeral Home
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Sunday, January 17, 2010
12:00 Noon

Service

Funeral Service

Sunset Memorial Chapel
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Sunday, January 17, 2010
2:00 PM

Cemetery

Sunset Memorial Gardens
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762