Roll Call Tribute

ARIA Cremation Service & Funeral Home obituary

Cranshaw, Patrick Henry
December 25, 1941 - November 4, 2014

Cranshaw, Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry Cranshaw passed peacefully from this world on November 4, 2014 at the age of 72 after a 17 year battle with prostate cancer and a difficult recovery from a devastating stroke in 2008.   He was born December 25, 1941 in Dallas. When someone commented on his Christmas birthday, he said that he and Jesus and Barbara Mandrell shared that birth date.  Pat always had a witty comment to share and shared them with one and all.

Pat was first and foremost a family man.  The loves of his life were his wife of 47 years, D’Ann, followed by their 3 daughters, Jennifer, Katy and Mandy, and their 3 very precious grandchildren, Ryan, Dean and Avery.  Last but not least (possibly first) came his cat of the moment, currently Puff, the 25# Himalayan.  Puff’s photo is the screensaver on Pat’s cell phone and if you knew Pat, you have seen the photo many times.  He would ask anyone within earshot if they liked cats and the game was on, even if they replied “no.”

Pat was also very proud to be a Texas A&M Aggie.  He always wore wore his Aggie ring and usually an A&M cap and could spot another one a mile away.  Other Aggies have been universally kind to him anywhere they meet him which meant a great deal to him.  Pat graduated from Bryan Adams High School in 1960 and then worked his way through college, starting at Arlington State, now UT Arlington and received his Bachelor of Architecture degree at A&M on May 27, 1967.  That day was also his wedding day in Lawton, Oklahoma and D’Ann says that luckily for him, he made the right choice on which ceremony to attend that night.

Pat & D’Ann spent their first year of married life in San Francisco where he worked as a naval architect at the San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard.  They loved San Francisco, but were homesick for Texas and moved back to Dallas for the birth of their first daughter, Jennifer in 1968 followed by Katy in 1972 and Mandy in 1974.  In 1975 Pat & D’Ann found their current home in Lakewood where they have spent the last 39 years.  Pat worked at several architectural firms over 20+ years before settling in at Neiman Marcus in 1984 for almost 25 years.  He retired reluctantly after his stroke in 2008.  When anyone asked Pat what he did at Neiman Marcus, he replied, “whatever they tell me to do.”

He was very proud of his Irish heritage; his father, James Joseph Cranshaw, born in 1861, arrived in the U.S. from  County Cork, Ireland in the early 1900s.  One of Pat’s favorite quotes was, “Half the world is Irish and the other half wish they were”.  His mother Ruby Miller Cranshaw was born in Gustine, Texas in 1901.

Pat is survived by his wife, D’Ann, daughters Jennifer & husband J.C. Rodriquez; Katy; Mandy and husband Sean Hemphill; grandchildren Ryan, Dean & Avery; brothers James Cranshaw and Johnny Cranshaw & wife Louise; nieces, nephews and cousins.

There will be a Celebration of Life Reception at Winfrey Point on White Rock Lake, Saturday, November 8 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM (950 East Lawther Dr. off of Garland Rd.)

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to SPCA Dallas or to “Stand up 2 Cancer” at standup2cancer.org in Pat’s honor.

Arrangements are under the direction of:
ARIA Cremation Service & Funeral Home
10116 E. NW Highway
Dallas, Texas 75238
214.340.8008