Patty Jo "PJ" Hassler (Bowden) was born on October 13th, 1936, in Oklahoma City, OK and died peacefully at home in Cherry Valley, CA on October 18th, 2021.

Patty met and married John R. Hassler and had three beautiful daughters. They later separated ways but remained great friends.

Patty Jo was preceded in death by her loving parents, Joe and Muriel Pauline Bowden, as well as her younger brother, Richard Paul Bowden.

PJ is survived by her three daughters: Kathleen Hassler of Sacramento, CA; Laura Marquess of Young, AZ; and Sharon Sprague (John) of Cherry Valley, CA. She had four grandchildren Mathew Sanchez, Sidney Severs (Sam), Jordan Schroeder (DJ), and John Paul Sprague. Her newest joy was getting to welcome her first great grandchild, Renley Jo Schroeder. She is also survived by her cousin John Walthour, who currently resides in Houston, TX.

PJ called many places home including Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and finally California. PJ loved her desert sky and would eventually settle in Blythe, CA for nearly forty years.

Upon arriving in the valley, she began substitute teaching and found a loving family of fellow educators at Ruth Brown Elementary School. PJ loved learning and often joked of wanting to be a professional student. It's no wonder she would achieve her Master's in Education from Azusa Pacific College. Her dedication to education was also apparent through her countless hours mentoring new teachers, volunteering for committees, and creating school programs.

Beyond the classroom, PJ found fulfillment in her family and friends. She would often recall trips across the country and abroad. If there was a museum, gallery, zoo, or bookstore to visit she was surely at the front of the line. Her home was always open to anyone that needed a soft place to land whether it be a friend of hers in need or a friend that one of her daughters brought home, you were never turned away.

PJ was never far from a book she was reading and she was always eager to add to her personal library. In lieu of flowers, PJ would be honored to have donations made in her name to Friends of the Library.