Coterie Club holds first meeting of 2009

The parlor of the First Presbyterian Church Kilgore was the location for the January 8, 2009 meeting of The Coterie Club of Kilgore with Pam De- Ceault serving as hostess. Fittingly, the parlor recently was redecorated by the family of Coterie Club charter member, Margaret Martin, in her honor. During the fellowship time the members admired the new parlor furnishings, perused jewelry from Bonny Edmonds Silver, and enjoyed the refreshments provided by the co-hostesses, Cristi Langley and Johnna Spradley. They served quiche, lemon squares, peppermint cookies, sausage balls, spinach pinwheels, apricot balls, and coffee and white grape juice.

Bonny Edmonds, former Kilgoreite, Kilgore College instructor, and proprietor of Bonny Edmonds Silver, presented the program, "For Love of a Red Cape," about Patricia Mc- Cormick, a Texas female with an unlikely profession. Born in the 1930's, Patricia was a strong-willed, only child, always with a love of art and music, who believed she could do anything, as the twentieth century woman was discovering.

Patricia became enthralled with the art of bullfighting after a family move to Mexico City at the age of seven years old and their attending a bullfight. Contrary to the wishes of her family she never forgot the music, the crowd, the spectacle, and the red cape of the bullfight experience. "Only boys can be a bullfighter." But, Patricia continued, developed, and worked her passion even with a neighborhood playmate or a little, fierce dog who stood his ground with the blossoming matadora in Big Spring, Texas.

Miss McCormick began her college education at The University of Texas in Austin studying music and art. Eventually, she transferred to Western College in El Paso telling her parents that she wanted to study under a noted sculptor and instructor. The true, underlying reason for the transfer was her considering bullfighting "an art" and the Aficianados student group at the college that followed and practiced bullfighting.

After much perseverance, dedication, and training, the slim, tall, and blond Patricia debuted as a bullfighter in September 1951 in Ciudad Juarez. She joined the Matadors' Union soon after and began bullfighting as a professional matadora in January 1952. Throughout her decade-long career, she fought 600 bulls throughout Mexico and Venezuela. Six times bulls gored her, three seriously, and once a priest administered last rites.

In the years after following her passion she led a quiet, reserved life at a California art school, later moving to Midland and then Del Rio, Texas, where she resides today. She has authored books and at times has spoken about her not focusing on the dangers, but her love of the art and the music, of bullfighting,

Others attending the meeting included Cynthia Adams, Deedy Adams, Sally Beane, Wanda Bittick, Evelyn Bolding, Helen George Bolt, Pat Boyd, Margaret Cibele, Ann Dorney, Janie Edmonds, Sue Lynn Florio, Marjorie Hall, Virginia Hudson, Barbara Kiser, Margaret Martin, Carolyn Martin, Brenda Maxwell, Kathe Miller, Dianne Miller, Francye Phillips, Jadean Roberts, India Stroope, Joy Tate, Martha Whitehead, Jo Ann Whiteside, LaRue Wood, Jan Wylie, Kay Yates, Tine Zapata, and guest, Charlene Barclay.