Patricia B. Hawkins, "Trish", passed away on Dec. 4, 2008, after a brave struggle with lung cancer. Patricia Oliver Becker was born on Jan. 27, 1937, to Geneva Morton Becker and William Henry Becker Jr., in Columbia, Mo. Trish attended elementary school in Columbia and graduated from Hickman High School in 1955. She attended University of Missouri, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and graduated with a B.S. in elementary education in June 1959. In September 1958 she married Richard Hawkins of Webster Groves. Trish lived and taught elementary school in Fort Collins, Colo., Sacramento, Calif., and Syracuse, N.Y. She was the owner and director of Hilltop School in Logan, Utah. Following a divorce in 1988 she returned to Columbia, where she taught at Grant Elementary and Mill Creek School before retiring in 1999. Trish loved news and politics. She immersed herself in current events all her life. As a young child she rode on Harry S. Truman's lap during the Veterans Day Parade down Broadway, and in the 1950s she worked for Stuart Symington during his senatorial races and his presidential campaign. During the past year she worked from her hospital bed making campaign calls for Sen. Barack Obama. She was surprised and delighted when she had the privilege of spending some private time with Senator Obama just five days before he was elected president. She is survived by her siblings, Nancy B. Bevan of Atlanta, Ga.; Geneva B. Jacks of Columbia; and William H. Becker III of Minnetonka, Minn. She is also survived by her children and their families, Paul and Geneva H. Goldy of Boise, Idaho, Grant and Mary H. Stauffer of Columbia, and Peter H. Hawkins of Columbia; six grandchildren, Mark Alexander Goldy of Portland, Ore., Timothy Becker Goldy and Courtney Rose Goldy of Boise, and Elizabeth Dimond Stauffer, Henry Oliver Stauffer and Elliott Stanton Stauffer of Columbia. She was predeceased in death by her sister, Frances B. Mills of Belvedere, Calif. Trish loved cooking, children, family activities, traveling, casino trips and warm friendships and celebrated life and its adventures fully. Very much at home in Columbia and Boone County, she was active, attractive, loving and well-loved and will be missed by her family and all who knew her. Mom loved Christmas and all the joys and excitement it brought. It was her wish that all of her friends and family take time to enjoy the Christmas season first and then gather together in remembrance. A service in Trish's honor will be held at 1 p.m. Dec. 29 at Parker Funeral home, Columbia, Mo., followed by a gathering at the home of her daughter, Mary Stauffer.