Ann Patterson

1944 - 2021

Ann Patterson
December 20, 1944 - December 20, 2020
Bradbury, California - Ann Coulter Patterson died on December 20 after a brief illness, surrounded by loved ones at Bradbury Oaks Nursing Facility in the Royal Oaks retirement community.
Born in Columbia, SC, Ann was the oldest child of Richard Richards Coulter and Margaret Robinson Coulter of Columbia, an Air Force family posted around the United States as Ann grew up. She attended A.C. Moore Elementary School and Hand Jr. High in Columbia and graduated from South High in Torrance, CA. She received her bachelor's degree from Duke University, where she was a member of Delta Gamma sorority, met her husband Michael, and was a Lifetime Alumna. She married Michael Scott Patterson on September 7, 1968 in the Duke Chapel and moved with him to California when he accepted a teaching position in the History Department of San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University at Northridge). Ann began her career in the School of Engineering at the University of Southern California with Dr. Zohrab Kaprielian, was licensed as a CPA, and became USC's Senior Administrative Director of Budget and Planning. After over 25 years at USC, she continued her career as Senior Budget and Planning Officer at the California Institute of Technology until her retirement.
Both Michael and Ann were adventurous and enthusiastic travelers and enjoyed trips to England, Scotland, France, and Mexico before Michael's death. Ann continued traveling with family and friends to Italy, Turkey, Greece, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, the Galapagos Islands, Kenya, Tanzania, Morocco, Vietnam, Bhutan, and through the Panama Canal. Her favorite travels included New York theater trips and ocean cruises with her cousin John M. Coulter and his partner Philip Schmitt and annual trips to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival with her long-time co-worker and fellow Shakespeare-enthusiast Clyde Henry. The highlights of summers throughout her life were the weeks spent at Pawleys Island with friends, playing bridge and working on tans, with a cooling beverage never far from hand.
An avid reader, Ann introduced many young family members to books at an early age and spurred family and friends alike into reading and recommending interesting new books. She was a regular at author talks at the downtown LA Public Library and a frequent patron at Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena, her one-stop Christmas shopping location. Ann's passion for books was matched only by her passion for movies - first-run, classic, international, documentary, or animated. She attended film festivals from Toronto to LA and was a loyal subscriber to the KCET film series.
Ann was known and loved for her quick wit and sharp intellect, her kindness, her zest for life, her love of learning, her forceful opinions, her loyalty to family and friends, and her giving nature. She was often astonishing in her generosity. She felt deeply and gave freely to her family, friends, the artists she admired, and the causes she believed in.
Constant companions through her marriage to Michael, and all the years afterward, were Ann's beloved dogs. Dachshunds were her first, favorite breed and included Colonel, Hamilton, Gouverneur, Daphne, Josephine, Angier, and Biddle. Her retirement years were brightened by Morgan the Corgi and Adluh the Labradoodle. Thanks to a compassionate exception granted by the Bradbury Oaks Nursing Facility in Ann's last days, Adluh was with her during her final weeks in hospice. The family is deeply grateful to the staff of Bradbury Oaks for their care and love for Ann and to the Wonder Dog Ranch of Monrovia in caring for Adluh.
Ann was predeceased by her husband Michael Patterson of Seneca, SC. She is survived by her brother, Richard Coulter, Jr. (Rosemary Heath) of San Luis Obispo, CA; her sister, Della Coulter of Columbia, SC; nephew Matthew Coulter of Lowell, MA, and niece Amanda Coulter of Atlanta, GA; cousins LeRoy Coulter (Annette) of White Plains, NY; William Coulter (Marta) of Tarrytown, NY; John Max Coulter (Christine) of Arvada, CO; Marten Coulter (Natalie) of Gibsonia, PA; brothers-in-law Pat Patterson (Deborah) of Myrtle Beach, SC and Steve Patterson (Pam) of Newport Beach, VA; nieces in-law Ingrid Patterson Appleby of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Gretchen Patterson Hancock of Daniel Island, SC; Elyse Patterson of Brooklyn, NY and Nicole Patterson of Charlottesville, VA.
A private graveside service for family will be held at 11:00 a.m. on March 24 at Elmwood Cemetery where Ann will rest beside Michael in the Coulter-Robinson-Patterson site. A celebration of life will be held in Columbia at a future date when her family and friends can gather safely.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Michael S. Patterson Endowed Scholarship Fund, California State University, Northridge, Office of Development, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330 or to the USC Clyde Henry Astronomy Scholarship Fund, USC Advancement Gift Services, Attn: Megan Hamilton, 1150 South Olive Street, 25th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90015.