Pat was born Sept. 4, 1928 in Holdenville, Okla. to the late Clinas Ira and Ida Mae (Stever) Gehring. A life long Presbyterian, Pat grew up in Oklahoma and Kansas. As a boy and young man, he enjoyed fishing, a pastime he continued long into adulthood. He graduated from Atchison High School in 1946 where he found success in all the Atchison Redmen sports teams. He was a quarterback on the football team, played second base on the baseball team and ran the 880 yd run on the track team during his senior year.

With possible plans to enter the Navy, Pat passed the V-5 examination and entered the University of Kansas. However, in 1948 he joined the U. S. Army. In July 1951, he joined the U. S. Air Force to serve his country during the Korean Conflict. Pat flew bombardment missions in Korea with the 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron and was decorated for his service with the Korean Service, U. N. Service, Good Conduct and National Defense Service medals. He was discharged in July 1954 when he was stationed at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Tex. While he was stationed at Ellington, Pat was married briefly and had one daughter, Joyce.

After his discharge from military service in July 1954, Pat returned to college and completed his degree in accounting in 1956 from Oklahoma A & M, now Oklahoma State. There, he met his future wife, Thelma Maxine Ewing. Soon after graduation, he went to work for Pan American Petroleum & Transport Company (Standard Oil Company Indiana) in Casper, Wyoming. Though his degree had been accounting, Pat became an expert in the new field of computers; he was a pioneer in computer programming for data storage within the oil industry. Pat enjoyed a long career with the company which ultimately became Amoco, retiring in 1984 at age 56, after 27 1/2 years.

While in Casper, Pat married Maxine on July 18, 1957 in the First Presbyterian Church. He and Maxine would spend the rest of their lives together. Life in Casper was not all work. There were vacations to visit family and friends; fishing and camping were top on the list. One of his favorite spots was Vallecito Lake outside of Durango, Colo. Pat and Maxine lived in Casper for several years until they were transferred to Tulsa in the mid 1960s. After retirement, Pat and Maxine spent many years traveling. They enjoyed living on Grand Lake in northeastern Oklahoma and wintering in Destin, Fla. They traveled to Acapulco, Mexico and also visited family and friends across the U.S. They settled in Tulsa in their later years. Not content to stay idle, Pat found time to volunteer at the local hospital a few days a week and he loved to read.

Pat is survived by his wife of 53 years, Maxine; daughters: Joyce E. and husband, Thomas J. Zachman, of Richmond, Tex., Catherine R. and husband, Gregg A. Heimdale of Claremore, Okla., Patricia S. and husband, Norman T. Pruitt, Jr of Bixby, Okla.; and his only son, Norman B. Gehring of Vinita, Okla.; grandchildren: Robert Young of Houston, Tex., Judith Young and husband, Jeff Comer of Seattle, Wash., Jason and Christine Zachman of Richmond and Christopher Zachman of Victorville, Calif.; Jonathan Vanderford and Kelly Heimdale of Tulsa; Tammy and husband, Derrick Lockwood, Dana Singer and Norman "Pete" Pruitt, III all of Bixby; great grandchildren: Cynthia Young of Houston, Tex., Morgan and Tyler Vanderford of Montezuma, Iowa, Jacob and Allie Lockwood of Bixby and Gracie Singer of Bixby.

J Pat Gehring was never one to complain and will be remembered as a quiet and devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend.

Casket bearers are Jon Vanderford, Kelly Heimdale, Pete Pruitt, Derrick Lockwood & A.J. Burns.