Thomas Stewart Patrick

1944 - 2019

Thomas S. Patrick
December 5, 1944 - August 22, 2019
Monticello, Georgia- Monticello, GA - Tom Patrick age 74 passed away Thurs. Aug. 22 at the Navicent Medical Center in Macon, Ga. Tom was born in Geneva, NY and grew up in the Finger Lakes region of NY. He graduated from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse U. and completed ROTC training. He served 2 yrs. as an Army Cpt. in Alaska with a Medical support unit. He then returned to NY and earned a Master of Science in Botany from Cornell U. He moved to Tennessee and earned a Specialist in Education degree from the Peabody College for Teachers at Vanderbilt U. Then at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville continued to study botany and participate in many botanical projects. He became a charter member of the Tennessee Native Plant Society. He worked at TVA before moving to Georgia in 1986 to work for the Wildlife Resources Division of the Ga. Dept. of Natural Resources as a Wildlife Biologist specializing in Botany and Plant Conservation. He married and moved to Monticello, Ga. He published numerous papers on trilliums, a type of three petalled lily , and authored studies of many other rare and endangered plant and animal habitats. He worked with DNR staff as well as volunteers in plant rescues and plant protection. He worked extensively with volunteers in the Georgia Native Plant Society, Georgia Botanical Society, Great Smoky Mountain Wildflower Pilgrimage, Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, Association of Southeast Biologists, the Nature Conservancy, Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, and others. In Monticello he was a Boy Scout leader, Band Booster and active in his church. Recently Tom was awarded a medal from the Ga. Plant Conservation Alliance honoring a life time of plant conservation work.
Tom is survived by his wife, Bretta Elaine Perkins, sons Andrew Perkins Patrick and Benjamin Thomas Patrick, and grandchildren Evan Alexander Patrick, Madison Grace Patrick, Daniel Carson Patrick, Everett Patrick, and their mother, Holly Ellington Patrick, as well as his sister, Sandra Kay Patrick Romesburg, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Nature Conservancy or nature protection organization of your choice.
A memorial service is scheduled at High Street Unitarian Universalist Church, Macon, Ga. at 10:30am Sat. Sep. 7 with reception to follow.
Please sign the online registry at jordanfh@bellsouth.net, www.jordanfuneralhomemonticello.com.


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