L. Genevieve Patterson

Lois Genevieve (Pat) Patterson was born to William F. (Mike) Johnson and Flora May (Warnken) Johnson in Olpe, Kansas on February 7, 1924, the second of three children. The Johnson family moved to Kankakee, Illinois, then to Pure Air, Missouri, and then on to Willmathsville, Missouri. Eventually, they moved to north of Brashear, Missouri, and after a year, the family moved into Brashear, where they lived the rest of their lives.
Genevieve graduated as valedictorian of Brashear High School's Class of 1942. After graduation, she joined the U.S. Navy Cadet Nurse Program working at Mound Park Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, completing a 4-year degree as a Registered Nurse, graduating in 1946 shortly after WW II ended. She married Alva M. Patterson on June 29, 1947, and they lived in Burlington, Iowa where their three children were born.

Genevieve was an American National Red Cross Nurse in St. Petersburg, Florida, an R.N. at Mercy Hospital in Burlington, Iowa, Assistant Director of Nursing at Laughlin Hospital, Kirksville, and then Director of Nursing at the State of Missouri Regional Diagnostic Clinic in Kirksville, until her retirement.

Genevieve is survived by her children: Duane K. Patterson of Brashear and his wife Sandra (Waddill) Patterson; Karen J. Chisholm of Houston, Texas; and Lynette J. Neubauer and her husband Martin Neubauer of Hickory, North Carolina. Her grandchildren are Kim Watson and husband Tim Watson of Brashear; Dena Hodges and husband Randy Hodges of LaPlata, Missouri; Joe (Trey) Harker and wife Debbie Harker of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Jay Harker of Houston, Texas; Justin Harker and wife Jennifer Harker of Houston, Texas; Robin Neubauer of Kirksville; Amanda Neubauer of Huntsville, Texas; 23 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by sister-in-law Verne Marble of Edina, Missouri, and several nieces and nephews.

Genevieve was preceded in death by her husband, parents, older brother William F. Johnson, Jr. and wife Maxine Johnson of Phoenix Arizona, and younger sister Marie Arnold and husband Max Arnold of Kirksville, and several nieces and nephews.

Genevieve and her husband Alva were a very successful distributors of Eagle International Marketing products for many years. Genevieve assisted in and contributed to the extensive research into the genealogy of the Pinkerton branch of her family, providing documentation and photographs for the book “Pinkerton Descendants Through the Ages, Volume One” by Lori L. Brandenburg and Trudi L. Nichols.

She was a member of First Assembly of God in Kirksville, and an avid (and merciless!) card player, whether her partners were family, church members, or newcomers.

She was an encourager and supporter who helped everyone who crossed her path, ending up with many acquired children and grandchildren. She welcomed anybody who needed her, and offered a listening ear to all who needed an ear to listen.

She was an avid gardener, taught by her Grandmother Johnson (nee Pinkerton) about plants, both edible and medicinal, and as a child she dug up wildflowers in the woods to plant in the yard of her family home. She liked berry-picking, sewing and crocheting, creating hundreds of angels and snowflakes, and was well known in later years as the lady who sold potato pouches (having made well over 2,000 of them). Her family believe (with evidence to support the claim) that she was the best apple pie maker of her era. Don’t beg to differ, we know better!

Visitation with the family will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, August 22, 2019 at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home. Burial will be in Park View Memorial Gardens.

Memorial in memory of Genevieve are suggested to the LaPlata Nursing Home.

Arrangements in the care of Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home; www.davisplaylehudsonrimer.com