Ms. Patricia Allen McGill's Obituary
Patricia Allen McGill
Sunrise: March 17, 1944 • Sunset: August 29, 2025
Patricia was born on March 17, 1944, in Houston, Texas, to Olivia Livingston and Maurice Henry Allen. At the time, the family lived on Goliad Street in Houston’s historic Fourth Ward. She was the fourth of five children, joining her older siblings Gwendolyn, Corneil, Henry and later welcoming Fay into the family.
Patricia attended school in Houston and graduated from Jack Yates Senior High School. After graduation, she had her heart set on attending Hampton Institute. A late registration left her without a dorm assignment her first year, so she enrolled instead at Philander Smith College in Arkansas, where she majored in Elementary Education. While there, she was crowned Miss Freshman and quickly became active on campus.
During her time at Philander Smith, Patricia participated in a civil rights demonstration in Birmingham, Alabama, where she saw Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in jail. She vividly remembered the sight of Dr. King looking through the bars, hands resting on the iron, speaking to students, a memory that remained etched in her heart throughout her life.
Though she enjoyed her time at Philander Smith, made lifelong friends, and began pledging Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Patricia’s dream of attending Hampton persisted. She transferred to Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) for her sophomore year, continued her studies in Elementary Education, and proudly crossed into the Gamma Theta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree, Patricia returned to Houston and joined the National Teacher’s Corps at the University of Houston, where she took coursework in Special Education. She taught for a year at Liberty Elementary School in Liberty, Texas, before moving to New York to live with her sister Gwen. There, she worked at a home for abandoned children with emotional disturbances in Nassau County.
While in New York, Patricia reconnected with William “Bill” Latimer, a longtime friend and correspondent during his service in Vietnam. The two married on August 9, 1968. They moved to Washington, D.C., where Bill attended Howard University School of Law and Patricia taught Special Education at Meyer Elementary School. Their son, Louis Allen Latimer, was born during this time. Patricia and Bill later separated and divorced, and she and Louis moved to Silver Spring, Maryland.
As a single mother, Patricia’s life took a turn when her dear friend Brenda Jones Holmes introduced her to Crawford “Mac” McGill, an engineer and producer at WETA Public Television. Mac was planning to produce a program on sickle cell anemia, a condition Patricia lived with. Brenda suggested Patricia appear on the program, and in 1973, Brenda interviewed Patricia for a show that went on to be nominated for six Emmys and significantly raised awareness about sickle cell disease. Out of this encounter grew a partnership that blossomed into love. Patricia and Mac married on October 20, 1973, and together welcomed two children: Olivia Denise (Libby) and Crawford Maurice (Mickey). With her firstborn son Louis already by her side, Patricia now had the blessing of raising all three children together, creating a home grounded in faith, resilience, and unconditional love.
The McGill family lived in Columbia, Maryland, until 1984, later relocating to Oakland, New Jersey, for Mac’s career. Eventually, Patricia and Mac divorced, and she returned to Houston with Libby and Mickey.
Back in Houston, Patricia began her long and impactful career as a Special Education Teacher and Department Chair at Austin High School, where she influenced generations of students. She also became a devoted and active member of Trinity United Methodist Church, serving faithfully for more than thirty years as a Communion Steward, choir member, lay speaker, and Sunday School teacher.
Her dedication to service extended well beyond the classroom and the church. Patricia was a founding member of the Sugar Valley Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction and a proud member of the Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, where she chaired the Fine Arts Committee and served faithfully for more than fifty years. She was also a devoted supporter of the arts, serving as a longtime patron and board member of the Ensemble Theatre for more than two decades. In addition, Patricia remained a passionate advocate for sickle cell research and patient care. She was active in several sickle cell organizations, most recently the Marc Thomas Sickle Cell Foundation, and frequently spoke to youth, families, and the broader community about the condition.
Patricia’s life was defined by faith, family, service, and resilience. She touched countless lives with her generosity, wisdom, and unshakable belief in the power of God, education, and community.
She leaves to cherish her memory her son, Louis Allen Latimer, and his children, Sloan and Talia, with their mother, Maxie Hollingsworth; her daughter, Olivia McGill Duclair, and her husband, Farell Duclair, along with his children, Markus and Olivia Duclair; and her son, Crawford Mickey McGill, and his wife, Jaime, along with their children, Juliette and Genevieve. She is also survived by her stepdaughters, Pam, Janet, and Sharon McGill, and her step-grandson, Jason. She also honors the memory of her late stepdaughter, Shelia. She treasured the bond she shared with her siblings, Henry Allen and Fay Allen Acker, who, along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, sorority sisters, colleagues, friends, and her Trinity United Methodist Church family, will carry her memory forward.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Olivia and Maurice Allen, as well as her siblings, Gwendolyn Riley and Corneil Allen.
In lieu of gifts, please consider donating to the Marc Thomas' Sickle Cell Foundation in the following ways:
Zelle: [email protected]
Website: www.sicklecelltx.org
Check Payable to: The Sickle Cell Association of Texas Marc Thomas Foundation
Mail to: 2500 E. TC Jester Blvd., Suite 178, Houston, TX 77008
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