Obituary for "P.J." Searsy
Priscilla June “PJ” Searsy died peacefully at home in Ovilla, TX on Saturday, July 15, 2023. PJ was born in Tampa, FL on June 10, 1946 to Patrick and Bettie Blankenship. In 1962, the family moved to Lubbock, TX where PJ met the love of her life, Alan Searsy. PJ loved to tell the story of how she walked right up to him and introduced herself. When he didn’t speak, she asked his name. He replied, “If I wanted you to know my name I would have told you.” They married in 1964 and had 4 children. They settled in Ovilla, TX in 1979. PJ thoroughly enjoyed her life as a wife, mother, mother-in-law, “Gammi,” “Mimi,” and sometimes, to avoid argument, “Gammimi.”
PJ was a genuinely creative person, finding outlets in writing, singing, and virtually every aspect of the theater. She was a regular contributor to the Waxahachie Daily Light and other publications. She led the Waxahachie Community Theater from 1986-2010, directing plays and musicals as well as writing and performing in Framing the Courthouse for the Waxahachie Historical Society and the hilarious A Slice of Salmon. A highlight of her acting and singing career was performing Patsy in Always Patsy Cline. She shared her love of musical theater with family and friends, bringing out the best performances in others, sometimes against their will.
As much as she loved community theater, PJ loved Jesus immeasurably more. She and Alan sang together in many churches and were often asked to sing at special gatherings. In addition, one of the great joys of her life was studying and teaching the Bible, using her love of storytelling and wonderful sense of humor as well as her communication skills to help women grow in their faith.
PJ was preceded in death by her parents Patrick and Bettie Blankenship; parents-in-law Lee and Kathryn Searsy; siblings Patricia, Mickey, Mark, and Paul; and her son Andy. She is survived by her beloved husband Alan Searsy; children Alan and Sabrina, Christy, Matt and Jennifer, Katie and Matt; grandchildren Hannah, Sam, Dylan and Madison, Nat, Colby and Hannah, Josh, Isaac, Emma; great grandchild Georgiana; and siblings Frank and Beth and their families.
To celebrate PJ’s life a visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 from 6 to 8 in the evening at Midlothian Funeral Home. A service celebrating her life will be held on Thursday morning, July 20, 2023 at 10 o’clock in the morning at Long Branch Community Baptist Church in Midlothian. Serving as pallbearers are Alan Searsy, Samuel Searsy, Nathaniel Searsy, Joshua Searsy, Isaac Searsy and Matthew Searsy. A brief graveside service will follow at Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery in Ovilla.
PJ was a genuinely creative person, finding outlets in writing, singing, and virtually every aspect of the theater. She was a regular contributor to the Waxahachie Daily Light and other publications. She led the Waxahachie Community Theater from 1986-2010, directing plays and musicals as well as writing and performing in Framing the Courthouse for the Waxahachie Historical Society and the hilarious A Slice of Salmon. A highlight of her acting and singing career was performing Patsy in Always Patsy Cline. She shared her love of musical theater with family and friends, bringing out the best performances in others, sometimes against their will.
As much as she loved community theater, PJ loved Jesus immeasurably more. She and Alan sang together in many churches and were often asked to sing at special gatherings. In addition, one of the great joys of her life was studying and teaching the Bible, using her love of storytelling and wonderful sense of humor as well as her communication skills to help women grow in their faith.
PJ was preceded in death by her parents Patrick and Bettie Blankenship; parents-in-law Lee and Kathryn Searsy; siblings Patricia, Mickey, Mark, and Paul; and her son Andy. She is survived by her beloved husband Alan Searsy; children Alan and Sabrina, Christy, Matt and Jennifer, Katie and Matt; grandchildren Hannah, Sam, Dylan and Madison, Nat, Colby and Hannah, Josh, Isaac, Emma; great grandchild Georgiana; and siblings Frank and Beth and their families.
To celebrate PJ’s life a visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 from 6 to 8 in the evening at Midlothian Funeral Home. A service celebrating her life will be held on Thursday morning, July 20, 2023 at 10 o’clock in the morning at Long Branch Community Baptist Church in Midlothian. Serving as pallbearers are Alan Searsy, Samuel Searsy, Nathaniel Searsy, Joshua Searsy, Isaac Searsy and Matthew Searsy. A brief graveside service will follow at Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery in Ovilla.