Professionally, Pat taught middle school off and on for 40 years. In retirement, she has tutored at two middle schools where she saw a need, served on the board of the Denton Christian PreSchool, Salvation Army, and several city boards.

She and her late husband, Bill Cheek, and others, helped start Denton County Friends of the Family's women’s shelter here in Denton. They saw a need and responded.

In the 1960s, she was part of a group of women who realized that integration was going to be hard on kids of color, so they arranged to meet the women in the families, became friends, and worked to make sure the students of color knew and were friends with white kids before they entered Denton Public Schools. Many of Pat's women's group also tutored students before they entered Denton High School. In the course of this endeavor, Pat made many friends who remain friends today.

She has four grown children who live and work in Denton. Her children serve the community as volunteers also. Her oldest granddaughter serves on a committee of DCFOF as well.