Patsy Ruth Durrenberger

Patsy Ruth Durrenberger, of Lake Limestone, passed away at home on Monday, February 21, 2022, at age 91.

Visitation will be held at Groesbeck Funeral Home on Friday, February 25, 2022, at 1:00 p.m.

Funeral services will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Michael Nemec of the Faith Lutheran Church of Mexia officiating.   Burial will follow in Fort Parker Memorial Park. 

Pallbearers will be Robert Durrenberger, Ronnie Durrenberger, Mike Hodge, Stephen Montgomery, Mike Washburn, Phillip Heaton, Ronnie Holland, and Boyd Howard. 

Honorary pallbearers will be Ken Prager, Lawrence Durrenberger, and Billy Castleberry.

Patsy was born April 15, 1930, in Mart to Chester and Cora Castleberry.  The family moved to Houston while she was young, and there she met Robert, who lived on the same block as her family.   Their first date was with her riding on the handlebars of his bicycle to the movies.  His transportation for their dates moved up to a car with an apple crate for her seat. Though his friends also wanted to date her, she chose only him.  

Patsy married Robert Louis Durrenberger, Jr. on December 7, 1947.  They lived in Houston for many years, then moved to the Rio Grande valley at Weslaco in 1971.  Robert had bought acreage in Limestone County from some of his hunting buddies and started a cattle operation back in 1967, before Lake Limestone was built.  The family were all involved in coming to “the farm” and helping with the work through the years, and Robert built first a small starter house and then later their retirement home.  They retired and moved to their home at Lake Limestone in 1984 and continued raising cattle at the farm until this past year.

Pat and Robert loved to travel and were gone for months at a time in their RV visiting every state except Hawaii, and she also enjoyed a trip to Germany with a daughter and son-in-law. 

Patsy loved people.   She was a very special woman who touched many people in her lifetime.   She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Mexia and was very secure in her faith.  She was a wonderful cook and prepared many meals for the church.   She LOVED family gatherings, including huge family reunions, and wanted everything to be just perfect.  She was an avid gardener as long as her health permitted.

She was “Mom” to 4 biological kids but mothered many, many more.  Family was very important to her, and all the family relied on her immensely.  Her husband, Robert, was the love of her life, and they celebrated their 74^th. anniversary in December 2021.     She will be missed by many.

Patsy was preceded in death by her mother, Cora; father, Chester; her beloved stepfather, Ernie Altenburger; and a brother and sister-in-law, RC and Delia Castleberry.

She is survived by her husband Robert of Lake Limestone; 2 daughters and 2 sons and their spouses:  Connie and Ken Prager; Robert Earl and Betty Durrenberger; Karen and Mike Hodge; and Ronnie and Janet Durrenberger; 10 grandchildren; and numerous great grandchildren; brother, William “Bill” Castleberry of Connecticut; and other extended family.