Dolores Patterson born October 31, 1933 to the parents of Mitch and Allie Johnson in Ringgold, GA. She was welcomed by her siblings Mildred, Ralph and JD. They lived a meager life working the fields and playing in the creeks. Although she couldn’t swim she would tell tales of Ralph and JD aggravating her and her baby sister Evelyn in the creek. She was baptized in that creek when she was a young girl. Dolores’ mother was a praying woman and seems she needed to be with 5 rambunctious children, one of whom went into the service.
As Dolores grew she made lifelong friends while attending school in Ringgold. Our family was blessed knowing these women as we grew. While Liz (Winkle) Lively proceeded her in death, Bettye (Pierce) Smitherman and Dolores were still in contact as much as they could be considering all the circumstances.
At 16 Dolores met LeBron Patterson at a Sunday School event and evidently the sparks hit. Dolores started dating this “rich” man or so she thought. They always had meat every meal and more than they could eat. The Pattersons had a two story house and photos. This was as rich a people as she had ever known. She married LeBron on January 26,1951. It wasn’t long before she realized the meat came from the pasture and the hen house, the vegetables from the garden. She had married a farmer.
There were many promises made on that date in January. Although it was difficult, those promises were kept until LeBron was called home to Jesus in March of 2020. Christ was the center of their home. Tithing came before anything else came from the payday. There would be no alcohol as they both had father’s who imbibed a bit much and neither wanted that in their home. Dolores and LeBron found work at DuPont where another set of lifelong friends awaited them. Gene and Jamie Sharpe were soon in their lives as Gene could hold one on one with LeBron and Dolores and Jamie could walk off spending hours together.
It wasn’t long before the babies started coming. Kathy, Teresa, Steve and Tammie completed Dolores’ calling. After moving to Dalton she kept children in her home. These children grew up knowing love and Jesus as Dolores never missed an opportunity to talk about Him to the kids. She started each morning in her Bible. Dolores had the “kool aid” house. The one on the block where all the kids were welcomed and fed. It was a place where no matter the circumstances there could be a plate set for anyone at a moments notice. Dolores made her living keeping children and using her talent as a seamstress. Many nights after supper she could be found cutting out patterns and piecing things.
The children grew and no longer needed her at home and she knew there was more of herself left to give. At 43 Dolores decided nursing was her calling. She set a goal and achieved all of them while keeping her house running as always. She was a dedicated employee who worked until she retired at 72. This retirement was only from the brick and mortar building and she started sitting with friends from the church that needed someone. She could be found taking a cake somewhere, a casserole to an event, or making sure her family had a hot meal waiting. She sat with a few ladies as they passed to Jesus knowing the shared love they had for Him.
She and LeBron also started traveling. They had many trips with the church group and senior citizens group from Dalton. She never failed to bring back a Christmas ornament for her tree and a few trinkets. They loved sharing their stories and photos to anyone who would listen when they returned. While they went to many wonderful locations, the beach was always her favorite. She passed that beach love to her children and grandchildren.
The last decade became difficult for her as her medical diagnosis did not hold a lot of promise. She took it all in stride. She started feeling better and was able to enjoy her grands and greats again thanks to Dr Susan House and Dr Bud Hays. Her last visit to Dr Hays he was explaining she may have two years left on her heart valve and didn’t recommend surgery. She told him that she was ready and asked if he was ready. He agreed he was and she informed him as long as she lived 24 hours longer than LeBron she would be fine. She outlived LeBron not only 24 hours but 2 years and 10 months, and that two years prediction by almost 2 extra years! It was a hard few years with COVID isolation but she held on on for her family as she knew we needed her strength. She never missed an opportunity to make jokes or give someone a hard time.
Her caregivers at Tranquility, WoodDale and Quinton all knew she was a feisty one and she wasn’t slowing that part of her life down. Even after her heart attack in November she came back to give a few more weeks of antidotes and quips.
The family could never repay the love and support that was shown by her sitters. In the last few months there was someone with Dolores at all times. Pamella Clark, Taylor Daniel, Hollie Leigh, Brooke Green,Jennifer Buckman, Lori Ellis, Vikki Delestowicz and Melody Young were an answer to prayer when the family needed anything they never hesitated to step up.
Dolores’ life was full. She lived a good life albeit not always an easy one (after all, she was married to LeBron). She was funny, quick witted yet patient. Her legacy will live on through Kathy and Gordon Ferguson and their family, Nancy and Steve Cohen, Ansley, Matthew and Callie. David and Lauri Ferguson. Robert and Leah Ferguson, Christopher and Bradley. Teresa and Charles Keith and their family, April and Stacy Pritchett, Carson, Cole and Emma Kate. Andrew Keith and Olivia. Steve and Cathy Patterson, Kristen whom was waiting for her Granny’s arrival, Kelly and Jacob Ramsey and Keenan. Tammie Clark, Taylor and Casey Whitson and Finley, Hunter and Taylor Talley and Easton.
That makes 34 family members whose lives are fuller because they had a Mom, a Mother-in-Law, and a Granny who will be remembered by the fruits of the Spirit.
I like to tell folks I got the woman who found her voice as my mom. Being the baby I was raised by a different woman than my siblings. While being a teenager is tough in a perfect world, try being a teenager in Dolores Patterson’s house. That will set you straight real quick! It just took lots of spankings and switches from The Millican’s bush before I decided what lines I wanted to cross. Thankfully I grew up and mom became my buddy. We grew close when she started getting sick. I transported her back and forth to the doctor visits and to the store on occasion. We learned to have a girl’s day out and enjoy one another. Mom had a wicked sense of humor that bordered on passive aggressiveness which I absolutely LOVED! None of my siblings saw this in mom and it was right up my alley. Mom could cut to the bone and as long as it wasn’t aimed at you it was great. She never missed an opportunity the last few years to tell me she missed me when I was out of town. She reminded everyone ONE time I was her favorite (joke) and as her baby and running buddy how could I not be? I count it a privilege to have held her hand as she left on her terms Sunday night. I needed her to know I was escorting her one last time on her trip
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