Patricia Demps

Ms. Patricia Demps has lived through her share of hard times. From having no place to live as a teenager to surviving times of abuse throughout her life, she has chosen to use her energy to bring positivity to others in spite of those challenges.

At age 18, the young Michigan native decided it was time for a change. “I wanted a place to call home,” Patricia says. “I wanted someplace that was safe… And I wanted to travel.” Those desires were met through her time in the United States Army. When she enlisted in 1988, she first went to Germany. In her time there, she says she had a very positive crew, which taught her a lot about military culture. Demps also learned a great deal about different cultures and walks of life, which has continued to be a valuable part of her life.

After her service in Germany, Demps went on to serve everywhere from Texas to Alaska to Korea. In active service until 1996, she was a part of the Armed Forces through Desert Storm and Desert Shield, serving in numerous capacities. Though not all of her experiences in the Army were positive, Patricia clings to the positive that did come from those years. “It definitely made me a more giving person.” She comments that being in the Army gave her something to look up to, a key component she was missing in her life as a young girl. “Military also taught me that family is not always DNA.”

Demps was medically discharged from inactive duty in 2013, and now she dedicates her time and energy to being a positive light into the lives of anyone she meets. Throughout her adult life, she has received a number of college degrees including two PHDs and a Doctorate of Divinity. Under the umbrella of Gift of Love Ministries, Patricia uses that wealth of knowledge as a life coach and mediator. She is also a published author, with four books currently published and a few more on the way. Additionally, Demps is a proud mother to two young men, Di Menique and Jewelz-Unique.

“I do miss the camaraderie [of the Army], but I also have that right here in Forney,” she reflects. Upon her first assignment to Texas, Demps says she knew immediately that she wanted to make Texas her home. That dream from her early days in the service came to fruition, and even brought her to Forney in 2004. “I love my community, and I’m really proud of it. This is home.”

When asked if there is one thing she would like to say to civilians, Patricia says, “Thank you for saying ‘thank you’. Thank you for your support and for your prayers when you don’t know how else to support.”