Relationship: 1st great-grandmother (Mowrey line)
Williams Girl, College Graduate, Arizona Matriarch
Patricia Anne Mowrey was born on February 5, 1929 in Williams, Coconino County, Arizona, the only child of Raymond Robert Mowrey (1899–1973) and Anne Barbara Gleeson (1903–1986). She grew up in the small railroad town of Williams, nestled in the ponderosa pine forests below the San Francisco Peaks.
Patricia spent her formative years in Williams, appearing in the 1930 and 1940 censuses as a daughter in the Mowrey household. A 1934 newspaper clipping notes that "Mrs. Raymond Mowrey and daughter Patricia" left for a visit—evidence of the family's connections beyond their Arizona home. The family also spent time in Tucson, where they appear in 1941 city directories.
Patricia graduated from Williams High School before heading east to Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, where she was a student in 1947–1948. Stephens was a prestigious women's college known for its arts and communications programs. City directories confirm her residence in Columbia during these years.
On June 17, 1949, Patricia married Howard Robert Higgins Birch (1927–2019) at St. Frances Xavier Church in Phoenix, Arizona. She was 20 years old. The Arizona Republic announced the wedding on June 18th and again on June 30th.
Together Patricia and Howard raised three children:
The Birch family moved frequently, following Howard's career:
| Year | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Phoenix, AZ | Newlyweds |
| 1950 | Tucson, AZ | Patricia working as typist/filing clerk |
| 1951 | Pasadena, CA | Michele born |
| 1953 | — | Melanie born |
| 1958 | Schenectady, NY | Michael born |
| 1960 | Whittier, CA | — |
| 1961 | Pasadena, CA | Patricia listed as student |
| 1966 | Orange, CA | — |
| 1968 | Tucson, AZ | Final move |
Patricia and Howard settled permanently in Tucson in 1968. Her father Raymond died in Phoenix in June 1973, and her mother Anne Barbara died in Tucson in January 1986.
Patricia Anne Birch died on April 4, 2009 in Tucson, Arizona, at age 80. Her obituary in the Arizona Daily Star noted her graduation from Williams High School and Stephens College, her marriage to Howard Birch in 1949, and her 1968 move to Tucson.
She was survived by her husband Howard, son Michael, daughters Michele and Melanie, and five grandchildren. A memorial service was held April 10, 2009 at Bring's Broadway Chapel in Tucson.
Notes:
assets/external/ancestry/Patricia Anne Mowrey - Print.mdLast updated: 2026-02-04