Pat A. LaPiana Kenneson

BROWNSVILLE, TX. – “My name is Pat, not Patricia, Pat – P-A-T” A. LaPiana Kenneson, beloved wife, daughter, sister, and aunt, passed away on Wednesday, the 11th of March 2026. She was 76 years of age.

Pat was born in San Antonio, Texas on February 13, 1950. As she often warned Henry, “My birthday is February 13th and Valentine’s is February 14th. Don't be a cheapskate and try to combine them!”

She was a college roommate of Pearl Hickson (Kevin) at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos and followed her back to Brownsville to teach. She wed Henry on July 20, 1974, and remarked, “I was my daddy's Little Princess, and now I am yours!”

Pat first taught at Brownsville High School (Homer Hanna) and was one of the original faculty members of Gladys Porter High School where she taught home economics until her retirement. She was proud to say she learned her “Spanish ala Porter” and many of her students claimed her as their “second mom.” She was an officer in various positions with then Alpha Dela Kappa women educator's association for over 40 years.

Her favorite pastimes included watching major sports, such as the Super Bowl, College Football games, Baseball World Series, Basketball Final Four, and Triple Crown Racing. She also enjoyed drinking mint juleps in Brownsville long distance with her sister Mary in Houston. 

“New cars have personalities, that's why all of mine have names.” She would often race to Kingsville in “oh Mercy,” her black Trans Am.

After the movie JAWS debuted, she refused to go into the water off the beaches of South Padre Island.

One of her other favorite anecdotes to Henry was, “You're the only person that can massacre two words: cinnamon and denim, they aren't pronounced "cinamun" and "demin!”

Preceding Pat in death are her parents, Col. Joseph A. LaPiana (Ret.) and Harriet Mae LaPiana; her sister, Joan LaPiana; her parents-in-law, Henry G. Kenneson, Sr. and Josephine B. Kenneson; her sister-in-law, Rose Mary K. McClaugherty; and her beloved pets, Weeda and Blackie.

Survivors include her loving and devoted husband of 51 years Henry G. Kenneson, Jr.; her siblings, Joseph Stephen LaPiana (Donna) and Mary E. LaPiana (James R. “Jim” Thompson); her niece and nephew, Mary Cathleen “Cathy” McClaugherty (Shaker al-Muaber) and David Alexander LaPiana; her grandnephew, Jacob Henry Al-Muaber (Chinyelu); and her brother-in-law, Lonnie McClaugherty.

“I go before you come follow me.”

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, the 20th of March 2026 between the hours of five o'clock in the afternoon and nine o'clock at night, with the recitation of the holy rosary to be recited at seven o'clock Friday evening within the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home.

The Memorial Mass will be celebrated at half past nine o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the 21st of March 2026 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1914 Barnard Road, Brownsville. All services will conclude at the church.

A Special Thanks to Patty and Joe Flores for their years of Friday dinner dates and for being with Pat until the end. The family wishes to also express their gratitude to her sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Jim Thompson; her niece and her husband, Cathy McClaugherty (Shaker al-Muaber); the 2nd Floor Nursing Staff at Valley Regional Medical Center; Spanish Meadows Rehabilitation Center Nurses and Staff; Gentiva Hospice Nurses and Staff; Monsignor Bert Diaz and Deacon John Kinch; Patricia Galindo; Judy Coyne; Joe Fred Perez; Robert Solis; Dr. Guillermo Obregon and Daniella Collaso, PA; Mario Aguilar; and Ciro Flores; for the care and attention they provided for Pat and for the support and kindness they have shown towards Henry. Thanks to all who knew Pat and Henry and somehow helped our family.

In lieu of floral arrangements and customary remembrances, contributions in memory of Pat may be directed to the Pat A. Kenneson Special Education Scholarship Fund, in care of the Order of Alambra Alva Caravan No. 91, P.O. Box 8978, Brownsville, Texas 78526.

Memories of Pat may be shared at www.darlingmouser.com.

Personalized funeral arrangements directed by Steven R. Hieu Bailey, CFSP and Staff have been entrusted to the care of Darling-Mouser Funeral Home at 945 Palm Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas 78520, (956) 546-7111.