Patricia J. Koepsel

PATRICIA JEANNETTE KOEPSEL
1928-2024
Our community has lost a passionate, sincere, committed advocate and personage
extraordinaire with the passing of Patricia Koepsel. Patricia, Age 96, died Friday, August 30,
2024, peacefully in her sleep at her home in McLean, VA. Patricia was born and grew up in
Corpus Christi, Texas and after graduating high school, she began her career as a secretary
with Central Power and Light Company. This is where she met the love of her life, William
Koepsel and in 1948 they were married. She entered Corpus Christi Junior College as a night
student and eventually transferred to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX earning an
undergraduate degree then her Master’s Degree. Pat began her teaching career in the Dallas
school system then moved to Wichita Falls, TX upon William’s job transfer. Their son, Billy,
graced their lives in 1957 and the next year their darling daughter, Laura, completed their
family.

In the summer of 1966 Bill took a job with Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C.
and in December, after eighteen years of teaching in Texas, Patricia and the children joined
Bill in McLean, VA. Patricia began teaching in Fairfax County for the next 25 years and in 1991,
after 43 years of teaching Patricia retired to begin her other career of volunteer services.

In 1993 Patricia attended a Civitan Club of Tysons meeting. She was impressed with their
goals and the people that she met and immediately became a member. Patricia became
active in the club’s activities from the beginning serving on various committees then as a
Director, Secretary, President-elect and President of the Tysons club. She began and chaired
the book-wrapping project at Borders Books and Music Store during the Christmas Holidays
and supported the club’s numerous fundraisers including the sale of White House
Ornaments, Civitan International’s candy/coin box, and Claxton fruitcake projects all of which
enabled the club to donate funds to the Civitan International Research Center at the
University of Alabama in Birmingham. In 2004, she joined the Arlington Civitan Club to help
rebuild the club. She was the club’s secretary and shortly thereafter became the administrator
and regular fixture with their flagship project: The Arlington Civitan Open Air Market.

Patricia became energetically engaged with Civitan’s youth activities including the “Leaders in
Freedom Conference”, securing candidates for scholarships, building Junior Civitan clubs, and
acting as liaison between junior / adult Civitan clubs and organizing the clubs’ annualCitizenship Awards banquets.
Since her early Civitan days, Patricia was a regular attendee at all Chesapeake District
meetings and almost all Civitan International Conventions. At the District level she served on
various committees and in several officer positions reaching the position of Governor of the
Chesapeake District in 2007-2008. She also served as an officer of the Foundation for
Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Inc. rising to President in 2010-2011.

Throughout her membership she sponsored 274 new Civitan members and as an accredited
club builder she earned Executive status by helping build 20 new Civitan clubs. Pat is a
member of the Civitan International President’s Council and has been honored with a Civitan
Club of Tysons Honor Key, Chesapeake District Fellow, Chesapeake District Civitan of the
Year, Junior Civitan International Fellow, Civitan International Foundation Shropshire Fellow,
Civitan International Research Center Fellow, Civitan International Sustaining Research Center
Fellow, and the Civitan Freedom Fellow.

In addition to her Civitan volunteerism, Patricia served as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Luke’s
Catholic Church in McLean and has been a Catechist of Christian Doctrine for over twenty
years. She belongs to Delta Kappa Gamma and Alpha Delta Kappa, honorary teacher
sororities, rising to President of the Alpha Nu Chapter. Patricia served as a Girl Scout Leader
for fourteen years and a Cub Scout Den Leader for four years. She also volunteered for many
years at Spring Hill Elementary School running a Kindergarten Intervention Program.

With all the time Patricia devoted to volunteering, it’s hard to believe she traveled extensively,
was a frequent theater enthusiast as well as spending three months annually at her villa in
Cancun.

During the blizzard of 1996, William passed away with congestive heart failure and he is
resting at Arlington Cemetery, where Patricia will join him. Survivors include her son, Billy,
daughter-in-law Betsy, devoted daughter Laura Brown, treasured son-in-law Kurt, her sister
Joyce Casale, six grandchildren, ten great grandchildren and five nieces and nephews. A mass
will be held on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at the Fort Myer Post Chapel at 2:45, followed by a
graveside service and burial in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please send
donations to the Cancer Research Institute in MEMORY OF