Faye Nell Patterson

Faye Nell Walker Patterson loved her family. We loved her, too.

She was born on March 23, 1929. Her father delivered her before the doctor could arrive. They lived in Camp Springs and would travel into town on a wagon to play with cousins and eat strawberry ice cream cones that cost a nickel. An early reader, she skipped a grade at Hobbs ISD and graduated high school at age 16. Her class ring is made with enamel, not a stone, due to World War II.

She attended McMurry College in Abilene, Texas in pursuit of an Elementary Education degree. Her efforts were interrupted by the great love of her life, J. B. “Pat” Patterson. He was in the Navy at the time, and dating her roommate. She wrote to him, introducing herself, and explained that his girlfriend had married someone else. He wrote back. Faye and Pat were married on November 19, 1950 and remained happy and an example of love until Pat passed in 2009. The “roommate swap” method of finding a spouse has been passed on to several of her grandchildren. For the past few years, if we brought her a treat or lemon cake, she’d ask us to save some for Pat, who had “just stepped out for a minute.”

Faye and Pat moved to California, where Faye was a secretary at Douglas Aircraft. They had a daughter, Pam, and a son, Gary. After ten years and returning to West Texas, she worked at the ASCS office. Her daughter, Bettsey, was born. Faye and Pat spent the majority of their lives in Snyder, Texas, where Faye worked as a secretary at McCormicks for over thirty years. She never let them–or anyone–forget her value. She retired in 2012.

You could see who Faye was by stepping through her front door. Her table was ready for a family meal or dominos with friends, and a candy dish full of chocolate was waiting. Practical and pragmatic, you had to be careful about the chocolate; it might be half melted or a few months old, but she didn’t believe in waste and would wait until the bowl was empty to refill it. She loved finding a bargain and could talk any salesperson down a few more cents. Every surface in her house was covered in those she loved: programs, photos, memorabilia, pictures or poems from her grandchildren, phone numbers of her lifelong friends, keepsakes from her mother–she kept her memories and her people close.

Faye was a seamstress of fabric and people. She dressed us all in one way or another, from aprons to matching sibling outfits to twirly costumes to prom dresses to wedding gowns. At Christmas, each member of her family would receive a quilt, personalized and hand crafted. Let us not remember the year we had a “White Elephant” style game for the quilts; that was perhaps the most divisive holiday. Faye loved Christmas and made scrapbook pages for each gathering. When photoshop tools such as Picnic became available, her creativity was given room to grow. Christmas became the touchstone for our extended family gatherings, even when we celebrated in July. Some years it became Christmas-in-July-in-Whatever, because the point was not the time of year, but the time we had together in the spirit of giving and love.

Faye was present. She loved black coffee with sugar, cats (Callie and Annie), and keeping busy. When she wasn’t sewing, she embroidered, restored trunks, and painted, a true artist. She never missed any event a family member thought was important, and she made us feel like she loved every second (and she really might have). We all belonged to her; there was no such thing as “step” or “in-law” in our family. Sharp, strong, generous, and loving, she raised us all with high expectations and open arms. Her house was our home. She stitched us all together with chocolate pie and stockings and endless support.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Pat Patterson, her mother, Ida May Stuard, her father, John Dee Walker, and her brother, William Odell Walker.

She is survived by her children, Pam Taylor (Roy), Gary Patterson (Susie), and Bettsey Robertson (Dayton); her grandchildren, Julie Smithey (David), Emily Zeck (Nick Kargel), Dani Havins (Robert), Bobbi Martin (Eric), Lauren Burgess (Colin), Alli Jortner (Grant), Blake Lentz (Aaron), Craig Robertson (Annie), and Brett Robertson. She was thrilled to be a great-grandmother to Zoe Smithey, Lucy Smithey, Roxie Kargel, Hayden Havins, Jackson Havins, LilyAnne Robertson, Kit Robertson, Eloise Burgess, Margot Burgess, Lottie Jortner, and Wynn Jortner.

As we learn to live in a world without her, take a moment each time you get a good deal, win a game of cards, eat a strawberry ice cream cone, or feel the warmth of being with people that you love. These are her blessings.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate your consideration of a donation to Project Linus, an organization that sends handmade blankets to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. Arrangements are under the direction of Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home.