Flowers for the memorial service may be sent to Hyde Park United Methodist Church: 500 W Platt St., Tampa, FL 33606 at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

SUMMARY:
Patricia Tallant Hare, age 96, of Tampa, went to be with Jesus on January 5, 2022, in her sleep at home. Patricia was born April 29, 1925, in Bradenton. She earned two degrees in music: a bachelor's from University of Tampa and a master's from Columbia University. Patricia was an orchestra director in Tampa public schools, a private teacher of just about every instrument, and a seamstress for hundreds of people. She was actively involved with her church and gave back to her community by volunteering for Florida Aquarium, TGH, Bucs Band, History Museum, Performing Arts Center, and many more. She will also be remembered as being crowned the very first Miss Tampa in 1946. Patricia is survived by two sons, their spouses, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at Hyde Park United Methodist Church: 500 W Platt St., Tampa, FL 33606.

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Patricia Tallant Hare (known by many as Ms. Pat) was born April 29, 1925, to Walter Montague Tallant and Louise Wilder in the small town of Manatee, Florida, now Bradenton. She had one older brother, Kyle Montague Tallant. Before the 1950's, Manatee was three blocks long, and Montague owned a hardware store, a clothing store, and a furniture store which took up one of the blocks. Patricia's dad was also an archeologist with the largest collection of Seminole Indian artifacts, which has been donated to The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton.

As a teenager, Patricia would hunt and camp with her dad and his hunting buddies, and supposedly she was the best shot. Eventually, she wouldn't shoot a fly because of her love for animals. After high school she learned Morse Code, condensers, resistors, etc., and, as an ensign, taught it in the Navy during the war.

She went to Ole Miss for two years and became a vocal soloist with the Mississippian Dance Band. She finished her last two years and received her B. A. in music at the University of Tampa. While there, she earned the prestigious honor of being crowned the very first Miss Tampa in 1946. Then, she moved to New York and received her master's in music at Columbia University. She was very proud that Dwight D. Eisenhower, then president of the school, signed her diploma.

While in New York, Patricia was engaged to a Tampa man, William Lawrence White. They moved back to Tampa where they were married. Bill was a commercial salesman for Sherwin Williams, and Pat began the first music program at Tampa Bay Elementary School. She organized and taught an orchestra of 85 students and an all-boy choir. She and Bill had two sons: David (1953) and Christopher (1957).

She and Bill built a home on Davis Islands where she continued teaching privately almost every instrument and voice. In addition to that, she worked on the side as a seamstress. Patricia taught around 75 students a week including her 2 sons and a few who were blind. The two sons still play piano, keyboard, guitar, bass and drums. Today, there are people in their 60s and 70s who remember taking lessons from her and wearing clothes made by her.

Patricia was also a ballroom dancer, taught for the Arthur Murray Studio for a while, and won competitions in the waltz, tango, cha-cha, foxtrot, and jitterbug. The jitterbug was her favorite. She made many costumes for professional dancers and herself. For decades, she made pirate outfits and ladies' gowns for Gasparilla events.

After her sons were grown and her divorce from Bill, for the next 13 years, Patricia became a charter member of the Tampa Bay Bucs Marching Band. The band was 150 strong made up mostly of professors, teachers, and professional musicians. They played concerts at Disney World and all over south and central Florida. Ed Hare was on staff and in charge of cataloging music and many other things. Ed fell head-over-heels for this energetic clarinet player, so they started dating and eventually married.

After 2½ years of traveling and having a blast with each other, Ed died of cancer. Eventually, Patricia sold the house on Davis Islands and moved to a condo on Harbour Island. She was always trying to save money, so she got a bicycle and rode it all over Tampa. If people around downtown didn't know her name, they at least knew her as the Bike Lady.

Patricia began sewing more and started a long career as a volunteer for places and causes all over town. She gained much recognition volunteering for The Performing Arts, Florida Aquarium, Tampa General Hospital (rocking newborns was her favorite), Visitor Center, Convention Center, and Metropolitan Ministries. If that didn't keep her busy enough, she would compose religious songs and poetry and just ride her bicycle around town. She was committed to this life of service every day into her 90s.

Patricia was a born-again Christian. She loved her church and knew that the Lord led her there. She tried very hard to love everyone as Jesus would love them - unconditionally. She read her Bible and saw the Holy Trinity as her roommates. She believed deeply in her Lord's love and guidance, and knew for sure that without Jesus, she would never have made it. She leaves us with this poem, which she penned:

Let my music sing in your hearts and
Do not weep for me when I am gone.
Be happy knowing you'll see me later on.
Listen for my laughter in the soft, cool breeze
Knowing that I am happy with my Jesus to please.
Think of me as dancing leaves as the wind picks up their flow,
Think of me on a velvet night when you see the shimmering light of the moon's glow.
Think of me in your quiet times whenever you kneel to pray,
But don't be sad. No, not ever - not a single day.
For I am happy and at peace and where I want to be.
I'm with my God, my Jesus, my Holy Spirit, the holy three.

I love everyone,
Patricia Tallant Hare




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