Patricia Evans

EVANS, Patricia Paddison

Atlanta, GA – Patricia Evans of Sandy Springs, GA died February 13, 2021. Patricia Lynn Paddison was born July 22, 1928 in Washington, D.C. Patricia passed away at the end of a long life with family with her. Patricia was the only child of John Carl and Lois Paddison. She grew up in Virginia with a very happy childhood and life. She attended and graduated from Longwood College. Her father owned Paddison Buick and the Esso gas station side by side in Ashland, VA. Her mother, Lois, aware of a young WWII veteran, Carroll Evans, who was putting himself through college at Randolph Macon while working at both the Esso station and the Buick store, managed to engineer that Carroll should drive Patricia back to Longwood in Farmville, VA. Her plan worked and Carroll and Patricia began dating and ultimately were married on May 12, 1951, a year after her college graduation. Patricia and Carroll had three children, Wyndelyn, Scott and Mark. Patricia and Carroll celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 2016, just a month before Carroll died, also at the end of a long life.

Patricia was an English major and a school teacher at the beginning of her marriage. She became a full-time mother after the birth of Wyndie. She was the ultimate mother - instructive, kind, humorous, creative and a great teacher of behavior. Couth was a favorite word. With regard to curse words, she would always say, "stop and think about it, when you say a curse word, you are just proving that you cannot pick out the intelligent word that works."

Patricia was very much a Virginian even though she lived in Sandy Springs, GA since 1966. The words and phrases - "out," "about," and "around the house" all came with that pronounced Virginia accent akin to how Canadians express words. She was a wonderful artist, capable of oil paintings depicting landscapes, favorite places and most importantly people. She could really capture the expression of people. She was a master with recipes of all types and had thousands of little tricks that made her cooking delightful. Her kitchen was filled with all sorts of tools and items that most people would not recognize.

The one very clear thing about Patricia was that she was a tremendously positive person who always enjoyed each day and loved being in the middle of things. The reoccurring theme with Patricia was laughing at something funny, often with her creating the humor. She loved the examination of a particular word and would repeat a word aloud a few times as she pondered it fully. She was the embodiment of unconditional love. All children and grandchildren looked forward to entering her house because there was no place like the love she provided. Because of her love and Carroll's counsel and acceptance of all types, the Evans' house was often the house where the neighborhood kids and young adults would come. Known as Patricia, Trish, Trishy and Mom Mom through the years, she loved immensely and was loved deeply.

Patricia is survived by her son Scott Evans and his children – Skyler (Anna and great-grandson Stone), Brianna, Dylan and Hunter and her youngest son, Mark Evans (Julie) and their children, Garrett Evans, Mary Stewart Evans, Blake Evans and John Evans.

Like her husband Carroll, Patricia donated her body to Emory University for medical teaching and she encourages all to consider such a donation to benefit the living. Donations can be made in the memory of Patricia to St. James United Methodist Church, 4400 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., Atlanta, GA 30342 or to Emory University School of Medicine, Body Donor Program, 100 Woodruff Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322.