My beloved Patsy Gail Harman Merrill, born February 6, 1945 in Tulia, Texas, passed away on November 5, 2018. She died from complications of a rare disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, which she had bravely battled for many years. Patsy lived a life full of love and happiness and we were blessed to celebrate 53 years of marriage in July.

Patsy was known and loved by the community as the "Ice Cream Lady" as she ran the Baskin-Robbins stores in Shreveport, Louisiana for 44 years. Each day she wore a different decorative pin to work and kids would drag their parents across the parking lot to see what she was wearing that day.  She truly cared about her customers and saw many of them around town.  She gave over 1500 young men and women their first jobs and taught them how to work, ethics, responsibility, and how to truly care for customers and make them happy.  She made it a happy place to work.

Patsy excelled in everything she did.  She graduated salutatorian from Tulia High School where she was a member of the National Honor Society and first chair flute in the band. She attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas and graduated from West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas where she earned a degree with honors in Math and English as well as a teaching certificate.  She taught at Crocket Jr. High in Amarillo, Texas and Byrd High in Shreveport.  She and Jerry opened the first Baskin-Robbins in North Louisiana on October 12, 1970 where she ran the Kings Highway location. She was President of Merrill's Inc., Vice President of GEM Exploration, LLC, and Vice President of Mexico Rock, LLC in Orange Beach, Alabama.

As an animal lover, Patsy helped many stray animals resulting in several of her beloved pets including the ones here now that will miss her the most, her labs Coco and Buddy, and Doodles, her three-legged cat.  Some of the places she enjoyed the most were where she could be with the animals…playing with dolphins, holding alligators, feeding deer, and the funniest, being kissed by a camel with its super long wet tongue.

She is survived by her husband Jerry, her son Ken, wife Sherry of Shreveport, and daughter Tiffany Ray, husband Lee, and grandson Connor of Lilburn Georgia.  Her sisters Betty Womack, husband Tommy of Tulia Texas; Mary Beth Hewitt, husband Warren of Kansas City, Missouri; and Pam Edwards, husband Bryan of Lubbock, Texas.

She was predeceased by her parents Otis and Helen Harman of Tulia, Texas and her sister Martha Goff, husband Larry who resides in Forney, Texas.  There are also many cousins, nieces, and nephews as the Harman Family was large.

She was a gift to all that knew her and will be remembered for her kind, happy, and caring personality. She will be missed terribly by all that knew her.  She was cherished as a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother.

A private family memorial was held in her remembrance where her ashes were spread on a beautiful vista at one of the highest points in Louisiana on land the family owns. In addition, a beautiful flowering tree was planted in her memory. Even though we miss her greatly, she suffers no more and is singing with the angels.

Those wishing to remember her may make a donation to CurePSP at https://www.psp.org to help with research to help cure this rare neurodegenerative disease.