Patricia Alexander Sowell, 90, of Pensacola, passed on Thursday, February 5, 2026.

Trish was born in Thomasville, AL on December 22, 1935, to Ward C. Alexander, Sr. and Callie Oleta Alexander. Growing up in Thomasville, then Evergreen, AL, she attended Evergreen H.S. where she was a cheerleader and class officer and graduated in 1954. In the Fall of that year, she entered the University of Alabama where she was an Alpha Gam, but in 1956, she chased her high school sweetheart, Mark Sowell, to Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University) and in that same year, they married. Trisha loved the rough and tumble of life, and nowhere was that more obvious than with family. She raised four children while following Mark, a career Army Officer, around the globe to include exotic locations like Ft. Polk, LA and the Imperial State of Iran, and then in his absence during three unaccompanied tours – two to Vietnam. Not simply a homemaker, though she adored the role, during their Army career, Trish was always involved in Army family support groups and auxiliary organizations, often as an officer and even chair, and despite it all, she even found time to squeeze in completion of her Bachelor of Education so she could teach. Trish was very outgoing. She knew how to dress up for Army formals, but she was a bit of a tom-boy, and the grands loved her, because “Gaga” enjoyed traveling, camping, fishing, crabbing, boating, swimming, beach combing, gardening, animals and glop shopping. No dirt was too dirty; no beach was too sandy; no bait was too squishy; no catch was too fishy! She loved God and saw to it that all of us knew the straight and narrow path. She prayed hard, she always served the Church and did not shy away from reaching out to those in need. She was a loving wife, mother of four, mother-in-law of three, grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of a host. To others that knew her, she was a devoted, dependable friend.

Trish is preceded in death by her husband, Mark S. Sowell, Jr.; her granddaughter, Madeline Marie Joyner; as well as her sister, Joanne Allen.

She is survived by her children, Mark S. Sowell, III (Cathy), Patricia Sowell Joyner (Whit), Stephen L. Sowell (Leah), and Leah A. Sowell; her grandchildren, Christopher Sowell (Christy), Andrew Sowell (Julie), David Joyner (Alana), Blaine Joyner (Anna Gray), Kelly Joyner, Sarah Sowell Gambril (Donald), Rebecca Sowell Tarwater (Andrew); and her brother, Ward C. Alexander, Jr.

A funeral cortege will depart Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel at 11:00am for a Graveside Service that will be held at 11:30am Monday, March 2, 2026, at Barrancas National Cemetery.

Special thanks to the staff of Azalea Trace Healthcare Facility and Emerald Coast Hospice.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org