Patricia Ann Caples Cox Diem

Patricia Ann Caples Cox Diem passed away peacefully in her home at the age of 76 in Albuquerque, NM on April 14, 2025 from cancer. She was born on April 21, 1948 in Wellington, Kansas to Corinne (Davis) Caples and Warren Gift Caples. Pat will be warmly remembered by all for her kind and loving spirit, her leadership, her creativity, her generosity to others and her sense of adventure.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents Warren and Corinne Caples and a previous husband Clifford Diem.

Pat had a successful career which began at Wichita State University with a Bachelors of Business Administration and a Masters of Business Administration followed by a position in the WSU Business College. Her career allowed her to travel to many places across the US and abroad. She moved to Albuquerque, NM to work at Sandia Laboratories where she found her love for the Southwest which extended from the landscape, to the people and the history. Her career at AT&T took her to Greensboro, NC, Allentown, PA and Clinton, NJ before transferring to Technologies Partners International (TPI). In addition to her career, she volunteered her time and energy to community organizations including Rotary, Circles NM, a founding funder for NM-NEW and the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque. Pat fully retired from work in 2006 which allowed her to focus on one of her many passions: travel.

Pat loved to explore new places. Her adventurous spirit took her to 33 countries, including Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, Galapagos Islands and New Zealand. While in New Zealand, she fulfilled a risky adventure by taking a leap of faith by bungy jumping off of the Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown. Her love of travel took her all over the country, exploring all regions and visiting friends that she met throughout her life.

Pat had an eye for art as was shown in her collection of artwork in her home. She also had enormous creativity and loved to mix colors with textiles in the form of quilting and knitting. Over her life, she made countless quilts and shawls for her friends and family in addition to quilts she donated for babies in the community.

She is survived by her husband, John Barber of Albuquerque, NM, sister Carol Wells and her husband Jay Wells of Wichita, KS, sister Pam Caples and her husband Bill Carpenter of Springfield, OR, niece Morgan Stremmel and her husband Josh Stremmel of Wichita, KS, nephew Aaron Carpenter of Denver, CO and niece Kelsey Rosedale of Bend, OR, as well as numerous close friends which she considered her extended family too.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of your choice.