Patricia Coombs

Patricia Coombs Fox (July 23, 1926 – January 12, 2026) was an American author and illustrator of many children's picture books, including the popular Dorrie the Little Witch series.

Background Coombs was born in Los Angeles, California on July 23, 1926. Of her childhood, she said, 'I was forever being told to get my nose out of a book and go outside. As a result I ended up reading in odd places where I wouldn’t be noticed—behind my brother’s mice cages, under lilac bushes. The smells of mice and lilacs to this day evoke certain stories.' She attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and received her B.A. (1947) and M.A. (1950) in English literature from the University of Washington. She first started writing and illustrating stories for her two daughters, the youngest of which, together with a Siamese cat named Dingbat, became the inspiration for Dorrie and her cat Gink.

Coombs married C. James Fox (1922–2013), and they lived in the New York City area for most of their lives. She later lived in East Lyme, Connecticut. Coombs died on January 12, 2026, at the age of 99.