Patricia (Pat) L. Cutler Castro, 88, of Pensacola, FL passed away, Monday, April 26, 2021 at Sacred Heart Hospital's Covenant Hospice Care Center.

Pat was born August 30, 1932 in Peoria, IL. From a young age, she lived and attended school at Illinois Soldiers and Sailors' Children's Home in Normal, IL. After graduation, she met and married Loren Cutler, a young naval enlistee, in 1951. Together they had a daughter and three sons. Their navy travels took them to many duty stations across the U.S., including flight training at NAS Pensacola. On May11, 1959, Pat was widowed when Loren was killed in a plane crash at Whidbey Island, WA. Without close family to turn to, she made the long drive with four little children across the country to return to Pensacola where she felt she had "family" at Warrington Baptist Church. She later married Jerry Castro and added another son to the family. Pat was a Teachers' Aid in the school system for many years. With her obvious love and devotion to children, her "retirement" was spent substituting and volunteering in the schools until Covid ended it. She was a devoted member at Olive Baptist Church for more than 50 years and considered it her personal ministry to be a greeter at the atrium door on Sunday mornings as well as a member of the quilting group, another of her passions. She continued these things until Covid and cancer forced her to stop.

Pat is preceded in death by her husbands, Loren Cutler; and, Jerry Castro; grandson, Christopher Douglas; sisters, Shirley and Beverly; Cutler in-laws, Barb and Danny; and Castro in-laws, Arnold, Alvin, Isabell, Lucille, Joe, Emery and Ron.

She is survived by a daughter, Patsy (Larry) Douglas, of Pensacola; four sons, Mike (Betty) Cutler, of Mobile, AL, David (Carolyn) Cutler, Gary (Christina) Cutler and Steve (Lorie) Castro, of Pensacola; nine grandchildren; fourteen grandchildren; a brother, Ronnie Ealy, of IL; Castro sisters-in-law Shirley Castro, Rose Castro, Mary (John) Hellriegel, Elaine Tarkowski; step son, Mike (Sharon) Castro; numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

Visitation will be 10:00am until the Funeral Service at 11:00am Monday, May 3, 2021 at Olive Baptist Church, with Dr. Ted Traylor and Dr. Jerry Passmore. Due to Covid restrictions, there will be a private family interment at Barrancas National Cemetery. The family requests that masks please be worn.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorial contributions be made to Florida Baptist Children's Home, 1000 Chemstrand RD., Cantonment, FL 32533; Olive Baptist Church Library, 1836 E. Olive Rd., Pensacola, FL 32514 or to a charitable organization of your choice.

The family wishes to express our sincere thanks to the 7 ^th floor Bayou Towers Nursing Staff at Sacred Heart Hospital and Covenant Hospice for their loving care of our beloved mother.