1938
Dolores
2021
Dolores Ann "Dee" Patterson
July 30, 1938 — November 29, 2021
Washington City, Utah –
Dolores Ann “Dee” Patterson, 83, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in her sleep on Monday, November 29, 2021. Dee was born on July 30, 1938 in Athens, Ohio to the late Joseph V. Howell and Mildred Irene “Pat” Blazer Howell Kellstadt. She married her high school sweetheart James Robert “Jim” Patterson on August 25, 1956 in the Methodist Church at Frankfort, Ohio.
After having been baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dee and Jim and their children were sealed for time and All Eternity in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Dee was raised by her grandparents, Maude and Mid Blazer in the little Village of Roxabell, Ohio. She attended elementary and high school in the nearby Village of Frankfort for the grades 1 through 11 then moved to Columbus, Ohio to live with her mother and stepfather where she attended her senior year, graduating from Linden-McKinley High School in 1956.
Leap Year marriage proposal tradition – At the age of 16 Dee had started dating her then very shy classmate, Jim whom Dee had shared the same classroom with throughout their school years in the small village of Frankfort, Ohio. That relationship continued and on “Leap Day” in 1956, she explained her version of a Leap Day tradition to her sweetheart Jim: that it was a long-established tradition for young ladies to propose marriage to their sweethearts on Leap Day. Dee proposed to Jim who gladly accepted her proposal. Marriage followed in August of 1956. This union has endured for 65 wonderful years. Needless to say, her untimely passing has left Jim with a broken heart that may never be healed until that wonderful day when they meet again in their Heavenly Home.
Upon graduation from high school, Dee became a proud “Ohio Belle” when she was employed by Ohio Bell Telephone Company in Columbus, Ohio as a Long-Distance Telephone Operator. While Jim attended Ohio State University, Dee served as his cheerleader and contributed greatly to the financial support of their newly established little family of two.
In the spring of 1960, Jim and Dee, not fully knowing why, loaded up what possessions that their young marriage had accumulated and moved West. Phoenix, Arizona was their intended destination but ended up being beautiful San Diego, California. There, Dee continued her status as a “Belle” but this time with Pacific Bell. Soon after arriving in San Diego, Jim began a new career in a completely new field with a San Diego based airline. This wonderful time was soon interrupted when Jim received a Draft Notice from his Ohio Draft Board. After Jim finished Basic Training and Medic School in Texas, he was assigned a duty station at the Shepard AFB Hospital near Wichita Falls where Dee soon joined him for another new adventure. She very happy to be able to maintain her status as a “Belle” but this time for Southwestern Bell in Wichita Falls, Texas.
After six long years of being childless, a most beautiful daughter, Cynthia Ann “Cindy” was born in early 1963 and a short two years later, a handsome son, James Robert “Jim” II was born. Both were born at the Sheppard AFB Hospital where Jim was on duty when they were born. Several years later, this little family was enlarged by our sweet Alvina Yellowhorse who we were fortunate to have in our home for over 7 years.
Dee was a person who had many talents and a master of most. First of all, she was an avid reader of books. Two of her favorite authors, Zane Grey and Louis L’amore, prepared her for her new life in the West. Her home is filled with over 3,000 books and two Kindles with another 4,000 books. She loved to color which kept Jim and several friends busy trying to find new coloring books and pencils for her. She was an accomplished seamstress and crocheter who loved to create beautiful things from yards of materials and threads of many colors. She was an accomplished genealogist having served as an assistant director of two different Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History Centers for over 30 years. She also served as PTA President during her children’s school year, later as her church’s Young Women’s president, spending many fun years celebrating her own birthday at Girl’s Camp, and then as the Relief Society Visiting Teacher Coordinator for several wards for over 28 years. She was the best sweetheart and wife to Jim, her forever high school sweetheart, as a mother, not only to her biological children but to several foster youth over the years, she was a doting and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Dee is survived by her high school sweetheart husband, Jim, of Washington City, Utah, a daughter, Cynthia Ann (Doug) Patterson Jermasek of Los Angeles, California, a daughter, Alvina Yellowhorse Rosales of Gallup, New Mexico, and a son, James R. “Jim” Patterson II of Rexburg, Idaho, granddaughters, Erika Anna (Charlie) Jermasek Curtis of Los Angeles, California, Utahna Rosales of Portland, Oregon, Kaitlin Patterson of Salt Lake City, Utah, Allison Kelly Patterson of La Mesa, California, Hanna Jermasek of Boston, Massachusetts; grandsons, Alex Edward (Jessica Lucas) Jermasek of Atlanta, Georgia, Trevor James Jermasek of Portland, Oregon and Everett James Patterson of Provo, Utah; great grandchildren, Ace James Curtis, Wilder Edward Curtis both of Los Angeles, California and Jett Edward Jermasek Lucas of Atlanta, Georgia.
Dee was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents.
Dee was a loving and loyal friend to all who knew her. She will be missed by her husband, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her many, many friends.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 10, 2021 at the Spilsbury Mortuary located at 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah. Friends may call between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on the day of the services at the Spilsbury Mortuary. Interment will follow the services at the Washington City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made at the American Cancer Society or your favorite charity.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah.
Friends and family are invited to sign Dee’s on-line guest book at www.spilsburymortuary.com
Dolores Ann “Dee” Patterson, 83, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in her sleep on Monday, November 29, 2021. Dee was born on July 30, 1938 in Athens, Ohio to the late Joseph V. Howell and Mildred Irene “Pat” Blazer Howell Kellstadt. She married her high school sweetheart James Robert “Jim” Patterson on August 25, 1956 in the Methodist Church at Frankfort, Ohio.
After having been baptized in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dee and Jim and their children were sealed for time and All Eternity in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Dee was raised by her grandparents, Maude and Mid Blazer in the little Village of Roxabell, Ohio. She attended elementary and high school in the nearby Village of Frankfort for the grades 1 through 11 then moved to Columbus, Ohio to live with her mother and stepfather where she attended her senior year, graduating from Linden-McKinley High School in 1956.
Leap Year marriage proposal tradition – At the age of 16 Dee had started dating her then very shy classmate, Jim whom Dee had shared the same classroom with throughout their school years in the small village of Frankfort, Ohio. That relationship continued and on “Leap Day” in 1956, she explained her version of a Leap Day tradition to her sweetheart Jim: that it was a long-established tradition for young ladies to propose marriage to their sweethearts on Leap Day. Dee proposed to Jim who gladly accepted her proposal. Marriage followed in August of 1956. This union has endured for 65 wonderful years. Needless to say, her untimely passing has left Jim with a broken heart that may never be healed until that wonderful day when they meet again in their Heavenly Home.
Upon graduation from high school, Dee became a proud “Ohio Belle” when she was employed by Ohio Bell Telephone Company in Columbus, Ohio as a Long-Distance Telephone Operator. While Jim attended Ohio State University, Dee served as his cheerleader and contributed greatly to the financial support of their newly established little family of two.
In the spring of 1960, Jim and Dee, not fully knowing why, loaded up what possessions that their young marriage had accumulated and moved West. Phoenix, Arizona was their intended destination but ended up being beautiful San Diego, California. There, Dee continued her status as a “Belle” but this time with Pacific Bell. Soon after arriving in San Diego, Jim began a new career in a completely new field with a San Diego based airline. This wonderful time was soon interrupted when Jim received a Draft Notice from his Ohio Draft Board. After Jim finished Basic Training and Medic School in Texas, he was assigned a duty station at the Shepard AFB Hospital near Wichita Falls where Dee soon joined him for another new adventure. She very happy to be able to maintain her status as a “Belle” but this time for Southwestern Bell in Wichita Falls, Texas.
After six long years of being childless, a most beautiful daughter, Cynthia Ann “Cindy” was born in early 1963 and a short two years later, a handsome son, James Robert “Jim” II was born. Both were born at the Sheppard AFB Hospital where Jim was on duty when they were born. Several years later, this little family was enlarged by our sweet Alvina Yellowhorse who we were fortunate to have in our home for over 7 years.
Dee was a person who had many talents and a master of most. First of all, she was an avid reader of books. Two of her favorite authors, Zane Grey and Louis L’amore, prepared her for her new life in the West. Her home is filled with over 3,000 books and two Kindles with another 4,000 books. She loved to color which kept Jim and several friends busy trying to find new coloring books and pencils for her. She was an accomplished seamstress and crocheter who loved to create beautiful things from yards of materials and threads of many colors. She was an accomplished genealogist having served as an assistant director of two different Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History Centers for over 30 years. She also served as PTA President during her children’s school year, later as her church’s Young Women’s president, spending many fun years celebrating her own birthday at Girl’s Camp, and then as the Relief Society Visiting Teacher Coordinator for several wards for over 28 years. She was the best sweetheart and wife to Jim, her forever high school sweetheart, as a mother, not only to her biological children but to several foster youth over the years, she was a doting and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
Dee is survived by her high school sweetheart husband, Jim, of Washington City, Utah, a daughter, Cynthia Ann (Doug) Patterson Jermasek of Los Angeles, California, a daughter, Alvina Yellowhorse Rosales of Gallup, New Mexico, and a son, James R. “Jim” Patterson II of Rexburg, Idaho, granddaughters, Erika Anna (Charlie) Jermasek Curtis of Los Angeles, California, Utahna Rosales of Portland, Oregon, Kaitlin Patterson of Salt Lake City, Utah, Allison Kelly Patterson of La Mesa, California, Hanna Jermasek of Boston, Massachusetts; grandsons, Alex Edward (Jessica Lucas) Jermasek of Atlanta, Georgia, Trevor James Jermasek of Portland, Oregon and Everett James Patterson of Provo, Utah; great grandchildren, Ace James Curtis, Wilder Edward Curtis both of Los Angeles, California and Jett Edward Jermasek Lucas of Atlanta, Georgia.
Dee was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents.
Dee was a loving and loyal friend to all who knew her. She will be missed by her husband, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and her many, many friends.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 10, 2021 at the Spilsbury Mortuary located at 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah. Friends may call between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on the day of the services at the Spilsbury Mortuary. Interment will follow the services at the Washington City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made at the American Cancer Society or your favorite charity.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah.
Friends and family are invited to sign Dee’s on-line guest book at www.spilsburymortuary.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dolores Ann "Dee" Patterson, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
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Friday, December 10, 2021
Starts at 9:30 am (Mountain time)
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