Pat loved model trains from a very early age, beginning with his first Marx train set at age 7, graduating to a Lionel Santa Fe a few years later, then on to an N-gauge layout he set up in his room at the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house at East Texas State University. He put a Lionel 773 Hudson on layaway at Bobbye Hall’s Hobby House in Dallas, then proceeded to write a hot check to get it out because he just couldn’t stand leaving it there every time he made a payment! His wife Cheri worked at the bank, thank goodness, and was able to cover the overdraft, and decided it was time for Pat to have his own “Train Account”, begun with $75 and checks with a little train on them.

Thus began an adult life of collecting, buying, selling, admiring, and educating any and all things trains…model or real-life.  Pat joined the Train Collectors Association in 1973, followed by membership in the Lionel Collectors Club of America, Toy Train Operating Society, Lionel Operating Train Society, and others.  He was Secretary, Vice-President, and President of both the North Texas Chapter and the Lone Star Division of the TCA, and on the Board of the Division for many years. Pat was President of the Texas Division of the TTOS and Chairman of the TTOS National Convention in Dallas in 1989, and Co-Chairman of the 1996 TCA National Convention.  He was instrumental in reviving and guiding the North Texas Chapter several years ago to the vibrant group it is today.

In 1981, Pat decided to live the dream of all train collectors, and opened his own train store.  He and Cheri sold trains out of their dining room, until Cheri said they looked like drug dealers, so in October, 1981, they opened their doors in a small shop in the Medallion Shopping Center in Dallas, where they expanded to almost 10,000 sqft. in 21 years, and Collectible Trains & Toys became the premier train store in the Southwest, and one of the top stores in the nation.

After several more moves and changes during the next nine years, Pat and Cheri semi-retired to the tiny town of Forney, TX, with their house on a country road, and a 4,000 sqfttrain store behind it.

Pat was recognized locally and nationally as an expert in Lionel pre-war and post-war, Ives, Marklin pre-war O gauge, early Hornby O, Bing, and other European models.  He had extensive collections of these pieces over the years, selling them to move on to the next adventure! He loved learning about the origins of the old manufacturers, the details and variations of everything they made, and he loved sharing this information with anyone who would listen…Pat was very generous with his vast knowledge of trains and their history, as so many train collector friends can attest to.  He was a story teller at heart…he loved sharing his success stories, as well as laughing at his goof-ups!

Pat was also a quiet contributor to modern manufacturers such as Lionel, K-Line Electric Trains, MTH, Marklin, Weaver, Atlas O, and others. He was sought out by many of these companies for his expertise and for his business sense and advice for what would really sell. Most listened, and some didn’t, but Pat was proven right almost every time!

Pat was a mentor to many younger train fans all over the world.  He loved teaching these guys all that he had learned, and he enjoyed watching their growth in their hobby and their business.  He “held court” many times at the enormous York, PAtrain show, in his hotel room, in the parking lots, at his table in the Purple, Black, and Orange halls….so many would stand by to listen to an explanation, a description, or another great story…all the time Pat was swaying with his arms behind his head! He loved York, which he attended 76 consecutive times, beginning in October, 1974. All the great camaraderie, the incredible crab cakes, the room hopping, being the first to find the “rare” piece –some of the happiest and most memorable times of his life…

His last train ride was only 3 days before his death…as “engineer” in the cab of the UP Big Boy #4018, preparing for her trip to her new home at the Museum of the American Railroad in Frisco, TX…an incredible Bucket List event for him and his family and friends.

In the middle of all these trains, Pat still made time for his other passion – muscle cars from the 60’s and 70’s. He had an affinity for Buicks, his first being a 1959 green Electra.  Then came a ’63 Silver Riviera, ’68 Riviera, ’69 Stage 1 GS, ’70 GSX (Cheri raced this one on occasion) and countless more in varying stages over the years. His latest restoration project was a silver’73 Buick Century GS Stage 1…it is gorgeous!

Pat’s most fun “car years” were when he bought a new, very exclusive 1987 Buick GNX (#70 out of 547 built).  He joined the Gran Sport Club of America, raced and showed this black Turbo car, first at the 1987 GSCA Nationals in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and then at countless shows and races over the next ten years, (with plaques and trophies to prove it!). He decided North Texas needed a Gran Sport chapter, so he founded the Lone Star Performance Buick Club and was a charter member and its President for the first two years. He also organized the 1st LSPBC Buick Nationals at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, TX. Pat loved this car, and it brought him many new friends and endless great times: bench racing, taking it to the track in Ennis, teaching Kelley and Kate all about drag racing, watching videos of time trials and runs, and always trying to figure out how to make it run faster!

He also had two spectacular Mopars – a ’70 Plymouth Hemicuda and a ’65 Dodge Coronet Clone – he spent years restoring both cars, with the ‘Cuda being chosen as Nason Paint’s nation-wide 1993 Calendar Car.  His most fun was researching all the details about each of the cars he owned – tracing the ownership, talking to most of them, getting build-sheets, searching for original parts, and most of all – “getting it right”.  That could be said of everything Pat accomplished in his life.

Pat was an adoring husband to wife Cheri, the love of his life, who he met at age 17 in high school.  They would have celebrated 44 years of marriage on June 18. He was an incredibly loving & generous father to daughters Kelley and Kate, who learned so much working beside him at the train store, and at the drag races, and on car trips all over the country.  And his overwhelming delight and joy in his grandchildren – Mackenzie, Nathan, Jackson, Sean and Cameron – could not be contained.  To say he was proud of his family was an understatement.

Pat is survived by his wife and business partner, Cheri of Forney, TX; daughters and their husbands, Kelley & Mike Dowd of Coral Springs, FL and Kate & Jon Bradham of McKinney, TX; grandchildren Mackenzie & Nathan Bradham, and Cameron, Sean, &Jackson Dowd; cousins Sue Smith & Billy Smith  of Greenville, TX, Philip Smith & family of Campbell, TX, and Carolyn Creel of Dallas, TX; sisters and brother-in-laws Judy & Bob Christopher and Joel & Tommy Reynolds, all of Dallas, TX; niece Allison Reynolds Julian and her sons Austin & Tyler, of Carmel, IN; nephews & nieces - Clay & Kristen Christopher and their children Cole, Emma, & Briggs of McKinney, TX; Alan & Kim Christopher and their children Coady, Kendall, and Callie of Richardson, TX; David Christopher of Dallas, TX; John & Karen Christopher of Little Rock, AR.

Our devastating sorrow has been tempered with countless thoughts and prayers, calls, emails and cards, food and drink, and hugs and kisses from so many friends.  The family will always remember the kindnesses shown, and the sharing of our grief is precious to us all.

A private Celebration of Pat’s Life will be held in July.

Any memorials or tributes can be made in Pat’s name to:

Museum of the American Railroad, 6455 Page Street, Frisco, TX 75034…214-428-0101.