Patricia Jane Rasbury

Patricia Jane Rasbury, known to her friends as "Trish", died unexpectedly of a heart attack on Friday, June 23, 2017 at the age of 62. A native of Columbia, Trish grew up on the family farm and had a love of riding horses, gardening, nature, and caring for her many beloved dogs and cats. She graduated from Columbia Military Academy where Trish was the first female Valedictorian. Upon graduating from Vanderbilt University, she began her career with the Tennessee State Museum and soon rose to the position of Director of Education. Trish was devoted to preserving and presenting history. She was instrumental in many landmark Nashville exhibitions including: the sculptures of Tennessee artist William Edmondson, Masterworks, Homecoming '86, Anne Frank, and the Magna Carta/Constitution. She also helped to bring the museum to every county in the state with the Traveling Trunk program and Tennessee Treasures.Patricia believed that museums are for everyone, and was one of the pioneers behind developing museum guidelines for the Americans with Disabilities Act and traveled to Washington DC to present her program there. She developed the Museum Educational Room gallery for children, as well as TSM's early Docent and Volunteer programs.Patricia served as of Director of Special Projects where her most gratifying role was as the liaison to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee and the ongoing preservation of the Lorraine Motel.Trish was a member of the Inter-Museum Council of Nashville, the local and national American Association of Museums, and served on the AAM National Education Task Force. In her private life, she was devoted to her family, her friends and the many animals she helped to rescue and care for. She had been working with her sister to develop a plan to turn her family's Century Farm into an educational and ecologically sustainable showplace; and was only a few months away from retiring there. Trish was loved and cherished by so many, she will be sorely missed.Trish is preceded in death by her parents Victor and Joy Rasbury; and her fiancé Charles "Chuck" Baker.Trish is survived by her sister Susan Rasbury (Craig) D'Apolito; and numerous cousins.A celebration of her life will be held at Oakes and Nichols Funeral Home in Columbia on Tuesday, July 11. Visitation is from 4-6pm with a brief service to follow.In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the animal rescue charities, Russell Rescue 1412 Trotwood Ave, Suite 36, Columbia, TN 38401; and Walden's Puddle waldenspuddle.org. Condolences may be extended online at www.oakesandnichols.com.