Patrice Ann (McCurley) Robins was born in Ada, OK on March 24, 1954 to Robert L. “Bob” and Mary “Ann” (Jones) McCurley. She died suddenly of a yet to be determined medical emergency at her family home in Laurel, MD on February 10, 2024. Patrice was 69 years old and had lived as a woman of great faith since becoming a Christian in her early teens.

Through her father’s military service, Patrice lived in France, Ft. Sill (OK), Ft. Riley (KS), Ft. Hood (TX), Norman (OK), and Ft. Leavenworth (KS). Along the way, she was joined by her brother Mark and sister Penny. Patrice graduated from Leavenworth High School in 1972, and though she wanted to be the next “Betty Crocker,” she obtained a nursing scholarship through the Walter Reed Army Institute of Nursing (WRAIN) program. One of her father’s greatest honors was to swear Patrice into the Army upon her graduation from high school and before she attended the pre-nursing program at the University of Oklahoma (OU). While at OU, Patrice met and fell in love with Noel (Bruce) Robins while very actively involved with the OU Bible Chair, a Church of Christ student center. She and Bruce were married on June 14, 1974, and two months later, they made their way out to Washington, DC for Patrice to complete her nursing program.

Upon graduation from the WRAIN program, her father was also honored to administer the oath of office that commissioned Patrice into the Army as first lieutenant. She began working in the newborn nursery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center while Bruce became a police officer at the University of Maryland, College Park. Patrice and Bruce welcomed Matthew Blake in February 1976, and Mary Amanda (Mandy) in March 1978. Sadly, their world crashed in 1980 when Matthew was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, which ended up taking his life in November 1982.

In 1981, Patrice transferred to the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and served in multiple patient care, research, and senior administrative capacities until her retirement in October 2000 as a captain (O-6). Still wanting to be active and having the desire to go back to her true nursing roots, Patrice worked for 17 years as a home-care hospice nurse for Hospice of Howard County, and became a volunteer Faith Community Nurse until her death.

She is survived by her mother, Ann, of Norman, OK, husband, Bruce, daughter Mandy (Jason) Ouellette, grandchildren Jacob and Madison of Laurel, MD, her brother Mark McCurley of Singapore, his daughter Bethany (Michael) Hunter of Arlington, VA and their children Susanna and Robert, his son, Adam (Michelle), and daughter Zoe of Caledonia, MI, her sister Penny (Jack) Arnold of Bakersfield, CA, their daughter Tiffany (Brent) Merrill of Winchester, VA, son Matthew of Oklahoma City, OK, and daughter Jalyn Brown of Bakersfield, CA. Other survivors include uncles, aunts, and numerous cousins on her parents’ extended Jones and McCurley families, and two special friends, Terri Thames of Tulsa, OK, and Ann Roach of Murrels Inlet, SC. She was preceded in death by her son, Matthew, and her father, Maj. R.L (Bob) McCurley (Ret.).

Charitable contributions may be made in her honor to: The Laurel Church of Christ, 7111 Cherry Ln., Laurel, MD 20707; BRIGHT-FM (a part of Peter & John Ministries) https://www.brightfm.com/abou…; or Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center Inc., 6700 Freetown Road, Columbia, MD 21044.

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