Marianna DeCroes Patterson

1949 - 2025

Marianna DeCroes Patterson
July 14, 1949 - August 8, 2025
Marianna DeCroes Raichart Patterson was born on July 14th 1949 and passed from this world on August 8th 2025 after a long battle with Alzheimer's. Her parents were Herbert DeCroes and Beatrice Brittain. She is survived by her husband Keith Patterson, her sisters Susan Nieman and Eliza Ventura, and five children Cullen, Jonathan, Christopher, Matthew and David Raichart.
She lived in Sebastopol for many years while she taught elementary and high school at the Summerfield Waldorf School and Farm in Sebastopol. Later she became a professional storyteller and taught the craft at Emerson School in Forest Row England, plus many workshops to teachers and others who extensively use story-telling. She taught in England, Spain, Portugal, India and of course, the United States. She met her husband in 2010 and they traveled in Europe extensively, walked the 300-mile Pilgrim's Camino across Spain, and sailed for three years in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico having many adventures including surviving two hurricanes. During this time, she also completed her legacy: A book called "The Right Story at the Right Time" which teaches teachers and parents how to choose and tell stories that best help their children to grow and face life's challenges. It's available at Amazon in print and Kindle versions.
Proceeds go to the Alzheimer's Association. She was deeply loved by her family and many friends, and will be sorely missed. May she rest in peace.