Patricia Royce Obituary

After living a wonderful life, Patricia M. Royce, PhD., died peacefully on Saturday morning, March 1, 2014, surrounded by her loving children.

Dr. Royce was born on October 10,1927, in Chicago, Ill., the daughter of Thomas F. and Bernadette Bouchard McNamara. She grew up in Riverside , Ill., until the age of age of 13. She attended high schools in Kankakee, Ill., St. Paul, Minn., Klamath Falls, Ore. and graduated from Our Lady of Peace in San Diego, Calif., in 1945. She attended Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles, Calif. and graduated from San Diego State College in 1949. Pat was a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority.

In 1949, she married William G. Royce in San Diego, Calif. They celebrated 61 years together until Bill died in 2010.

She worked as a teacher's aide from 1968-1972 in Littleton, Colo., and Aurora, Colo., schools. She worked as a teacher's aide, volunteer coordinator at the school and later counseling her beloved students at Garden Road School in Poway, Calif.

In 1981, she continued her education by earning her master's degree in Marriage and Family Counseling at the United States International University in Scripts Ranch, Calif. In 1983, she was awarded a doctorate in Psychology at the International College in Los Angeles, Calif.

Dr. Royce opened her Marriage and Family Counseling practice in Poway, Calif. until 1988, when she and Bill moved to Colorado Springs, Colo.

In Colorado Springs, Dr. Royce opened her private practice by joining the Colorado Center for Psychology in Colorado Springs, Colo. in 1994. She was a member of American Association of Family Therapists, League of Women Voters. Dr. Royce also volunteered at St. Michael's Church in Poway, Calif., and Holy Trinity in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Pat and Bill traveled extensively together and enjoyed concerts, theater and tailgating with the gang at the U.S. Air Force football games. She volunteered as a lector at St. Patrick's Church and St. Gabriel's Catholic Church in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Survivors include her two sons and their wives: William and Rosemary Royce of Lakeside, Calif. and Thomas and Jeanne Royce of Bend, Ore.; two daughters: Rebecca A. Royce of Walnut Creek, Calif., and Roberta Royce Hanstein and her husband Walter Hanstein III, of Farmington, Maine; eight grandchildren: Benjamin, Jacob and Lily Hanstein; Erin, Elizabeth and Kayla Royce; Jenna and Michelle Royce. Also included are very dear "children and grandchildren:" Elise Huggins and her husband Gary Prokosch of Anchorage, Alaska and children Courtney and Garrett and his wife Paolina Prokosch; Craig and Sue Endicott of Sisters, Ore., and their children Chelsea E. Cummings and her husband David and Chad Endicott.

A celebration of life mass will be held 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, 4925 Carefree Cir., N. Colorado Springs, Colo. with Father Alfredo Garcia, celebrant. interment will be held at a later date at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colo.