Mrs. Loreta Marie Patterson, 99, a much beloved and admired primary school teacher, librarian, and lifetime member of the Illinois PTA, died on Wednesday, July 30, 2014. She was the wife of the late Rev. Dr. J.K. Patterson for 59 years.
Born on April 19, 1915, and raised in Caldwell, Kentucky, Mrs. Patterson graduated from Butler High School in 1933. She attended Union College, KY and received her BA degree from Augustana College, IL, and her MA degree from the University of Illinois.
Mrs. Patterson started teaching grades K-6 in a country school in Kentucky, then in Davenport, IA, and spent the next 27 years teaching in Illinois. Mrs. Patterson completed her graduate work in the field of Library Science, and became Librarian for the four schools in Moline.
In 1968, Mrs. Patterson received the Katherine Butterworth Distinguished Service award, and later, after 33 years of teaching, she received an Honorary Life Membership in the Illinois Congress of Parents and Teachers, “in appreciation of faithful and devoted service rendered in behalf of children and youth.”
Besides her enthusiastic love of children and education, Mrs. Patterson was devoted to her church, where she served at the side of her husband, Rev. Dr. J.K. Patterson for 59 years. Later she and Dr. Patterson retired to Orleans, where she founded the Community of Jesus Library, and continued to teach nursery school children.
She leaves two daughters, Betty Pugsley of Orleans, MA, and Linda McGill of Conona, IL, a sister, Marjorie Carolyn Woodruff Brown, grandchildren, Wendy Saran, Richard K. Puglsey, Christine McGill, Sara McGill, five great-grandchildren, Bryan Catlin, Sr. Phoenix Catlin, Heather Norman, Kirsti Pugsley, and Alex, Pugsley, and two great-great-grandchildren, Connor Norman and Joshua Gillespie.
For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com
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