Pat Settle Receives Community Service Award

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) Community Service Awards provides a unique opportunity for chapters and states to provide a non-competitive recognition to worthy individuals and organizations for outstanding voluntary service. The Smith-McMillan Chapter, NSDAR, La Grange, District VII recently awarded the NSDAR Community Service Award to Patricia “Pat” Settle during their April 20, meeting at the Grand Fayette Hotel and Restaurant in Fayetteville.

Upon moving to Flatonia in 1970, Pat Settle and a local group of women organized the Women’s Action Guild (WAG). Along with others in the community, the WAGS created the annual festival and chili cook-off known as Czihilispiel in Flatonia. Intent on contributing to underwriting the costs of medical school for a deserving student, this festival raised greatly needed funds to assist the medical student who, upon graduation and receiving a medical license, committed to locating in Flatonia.

In 1974, Pat Settle met Texas State Representative John Wilson and his wife, Pinky. Pat was asked to manage the Bull Western Store and serve as John Wilson’s district secretary while he was serving as a Texas State Representative. When John Wilson ran for the state Senate, Pat served as the treasurer of the campaign.

In 2002 with Mary Lehmann Voss and a few others, Pat helped establish the Texas Women’s League in La Grange and served on the first Board of Directors, acting as the Treasurer of the League. Her attention to detail and tireless efforts helped build the organization and define the important contributions of the Texas Women’s League to the community.

A dedicated leader, Pat helped form the board and served as its first treasurer of The Bugle Boy, a successful and important music venue for emerging and seasoned musicians. The Bugle Boy building, an empty Army barracks, was moved from Bastrop to its present location in La Grange and is recognized for its superb acoustics and the intimacy it provides to the performers and the audiences.

To celebrate the Texas Sesquicentennial, I. E. Clark wrote The Fate of Fayette and Pat played a memorable part in the production and earned the thespian accolades deservedly showered on her. She is remembered by all who saw the production.

Finally, Pat was an original member of La Grange’s Citizens on Patrol. Over the years, our “Lady in Blue” has helped direct traffic and has been an important presence at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. She was continuously present for the parades that circle the Fayette County Courthouse. And for many years, you would find her carefully eyeing the ghosts and goblins at Halloween on the Square!

Patricia “Pat” Settle has lived a life of continuous and selfless community service. She is truly an individual who has dedicated her energy, her clarity of vision, and her intelligence to bettering her community. Through her tireless efforts, Pat has spent a lifetime answering the call. The Daughters of the Smith-Mc-Millan Chapter, NSDAR in La Grange received approval from the National Society and were sent the jewelry pin and award certificate to honor her.