From Event Planner to Trailblazer, Patty’s Passion is Spreading Joy

This is the story of a fearless woman’s flair for the unexpected and how it led her to create an internationally esteemed business.

Whether she’s decorating her balcony for Valentine’s Day or whipping up crepes to share with her neighbors at Holiday Senior Living, Patty’s passion is simple: making people happy.

The walls of the spacious apartment she shares with her husband are adorned with framed photos of Patty with famous personalities like Oprah Winfrey, Stanley Marcus of Neiman Marcus, and Tom Landry, the legendary coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Still driven by the desire to spark smiles, Patty loves sharing stories from her colorful career.

It all started in 1972, when she turned to her husband and said, “My mother, father, grandmother and sister are going on a trip to Europe, and they asked me to go.”

Patty smiles, recounting the story.

“Of course, I looked at my husband, faced with watching our two- and three-year-old boys. He said, ‘If you really think you need to, sure.’” “And I felt I needed to do it!” Patty laughs.

So, she went. And the trip changed her life.

“When we arrived in Amsterdam, we were greeted at the plane. Transportation was arranged. Tours were planned. Meals were scheduled. Everything was taken care of,” Patty recalls.

“I thought, ‘There’s nothing like that in Dallas. I could do this in a shortened form.’”

So, she did.

Back home, Patty began approaching hotels, offering tours for women and children traveling with working fathers who were looking for something to do other than sit in hotel rooms.

And there were plenty of interested families.

Patty’s business took off, with her first major break coming when a hotel sales manager asked her to organize an event for 100 women. “I said, ‘Of course not,’” Patty recalls with a smile. “But I did it!”

She and a friend rented buses, soon realizing that catering to large groups brought in more profit. This marked the birth of Magic, Inc., a business that would grow to include event planning, entertainment bookings and custom-themed experiences – like one for Kraft Foods’ new frozen pizza.

For this event, Patty’s team “kidnapped” guests in a truck, taking them to a secret location where they served DiGiorno pizza in an Italian mobster-style setting.

“You couldn’t do that today!” Patty chuckles. “But that was my genius – I knew how to push the envelope and create experiences that didn’t just meet my clients’ needs but also exceeded their expectations.”

She pushed boundaries, too. In a world where event planning was in its infancy and female entrepreneurs were rare, Patty became a spectacular success.

Her ingenuity soon attracted national media attention. In 1986, Good Housekeeping magazine featured Patty as one of six female entrepreneurs who had started a unique business. This caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey’s team, and Patty was invited to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

“I didn’t even know who Oprah was at the time,” Patty laughs.

Her appearance solidified Patty’s legacy as a pioneering woman in the event planning industry.

Patty’s success was also fueled by her commitment to empowering other women. Despite the challenges she faced as a young woman in a male-dominated industry, she made a point to hire women older than herself, building credibility and trust in the process.

“I was led to this,” Patty says with a smile. “It’s been a great experience, and I’m proud of what I’ve built. We had a lot of fun, too!” Patty continues to spread joy at Holiday, always greeting neighbors with a smile and the occasional crepe topped with fresh strawberries.

She also brings out her life-sized gorilla named Koko, an old party prop, to pose for photos with residents during special events. “Isn’t he something?” Patty laughs.

Would you enjoy meeting fascinating neighbors like Patty? It’s possible at Holiday.

Find a Holiday community near you and arrange a visit today. We’d love to show you around.