Patsy, the Mancos head librarian for many years, was on her journey of life for a number of years before she ended up in Mancos in 1991.
Patsy was born in Pampa, Texas, and graduated from high school there. She attended Colorado State University for a year and transferred to Texas A&M at College Station, where she graduated with a bachelor's in animal science.
Patsy's journey took a turn while at Texas A&M, for it was there she met and married Kenny Smith. They were married in 1977 and will celebrate their 37th wedding anniversary on July 23.
Kenny also graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in agronomy. They opened the Pampa Feed and Seed Store in Pampa, Texas, and stayed there until 1989, when helanded a job doing crop consulting.
Patsy's journey was very much a part of Kenny's because they had three boys. Wyatt was born in 1981 and graduated from Texas A&M. Kelley was born in 1983 and graduated from CSU. Clayton was born in 1986 and attended the University of Pennsylvania.
Patsy said, "Kenny and I spent many a day going to soccer, basketball, track and cross country events. Kenny became a Scoutmaster, and I was a Cub Scout leader and a member of troop committee 518 here in Mancos.
"In 1991, Kenny became the agronomist for the Ute Mountain Ute Farm and Ranch, and I did some substitute teaching. In 1992 I became a member of the Mancos library board and in October was hired as a co-director with Georgette Wellage. The library moved into its current building at that point and started out with two paid staff, a green-thumb worker and a few much needed volunteers.
"In 1996, the library received a grant for patron and staff access computers, which changed things quite radically as to how business was done in the library. It was a big job to automate all of the books in the library, but it certainly made for a far more efficient way of accommodating patrons.
"At that time, the library had a paid staff consisting of myself, Charlene Swansen, Kate Kearns, Victoria Petersen, Kathy Graf and Julia Whelihan. There were also substitute staff workers, along with two student library aides and 10 dedicated volunteers.
"My personal life? I grew up in the Episcopal Church and am a member of St. Paul's here in Mancos, where I have been a Sunday school teacher along with other jobs. I like to garden and love to run and pedal my bicycle. I also love to fish, camp and backpack. I also enjoy being a member of the BD Chapter of the PEO."
Patsy was able to be the head librarian for the new library but left to help her husband with his weed and pest control company.
Darrel Ellis is a longtime historian of the Mancos Valley.