Obituary of Gussie Patterson

Graveside services for Gussie Patterson, New London, are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday, November 22, at the Lakewood Cemetery, Henderson with the Reverend Cary Ponder officiating, under the direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Gussie passed away on November 20, 2008, in her home at New London, Texas. She was born on March 31, 1910, in Bee Branch, Arkansas, to the late Walter H. and Mollie Patterson. The most important aspect of Gussie's life was her belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. She didn't fear death. Gussie knew something better awaited her after this life. Although Gussie's last years were full of painful medical challenges, she was the most peaceful and calm when someone read Bible scriptures to her, prayed over her or sang hymns to her. Gussie was the oldest of five children. The family moved from Arkansas to Oklahoma to New Mexico and finally settled in New London, Texas, in the late 1920s. During the Great Depression she lived in a tent with the rest of her family. After high school, Gussie went to business college in Tyler, Texas. She worked most of her life for the Humble Oil & Refining Company in New London and Tyler. In addition to her parents, Gussie outlived her brother, Willard, and three sisters, Billie, Marie and Dixie. Billie and Marie died in the 1937 New London school explosion. Gussie is survived by two primary branches of the Patterson family tree: her niece, Prissy (Patterson) Grozinger, husband Kurt, great nephews Patrick and Hart and great niece Liza Beth; and her nephew, Walter F. Patterson, wife Rosie and great nephew Walter F. Patterson II. She is fondly known as Gussie, Gus and "Gug" to her family. She also is survived by Sharon Davis, Sharita Davis and Avery Madison Williams, Sharita's daughter. Sharon was Gussie's primary care giver and became someone Gussie trusted and looked forward to being with for more than 10 years. Sharon's dedication and love for Gussie made our aunt's last years the best they could possibly be. Gussie had enduring memories of her Humble career. She often recalled going dancing with her friends or a group of girl friends driving to Dallas for a shopping spree. Gussie always drove Chevrolets. For a brief time, she worked at Leo Silvey Chevrolet in Overton. Her cars were cleaner than a hospital's operating room. At the time of her death, Gussie's last Chevrolet sat quietly in her garage having been driven until Gus was in he mid-eighties. Most of Gussie's time after she retired was spent taking care of her parents, niece and nephew. She and her sister Dixie made sure her brother's two children never lacked for anything. Gussie, Dixie, Walter and Prissy went to see the New York Yankees play the Kansas City Athletics in Kansas City. The two trips included many stops at souvenir stands in Arkansas and Missouri. And one highlight of the road trips was a night's stay at Mickey Mantle's Holiday Inn. Gussie liked to shop at Neiman Marcus and treating her niece, Prissy, to the latest fashions portrayed each year in Neiman's wish book. In 1965 Gussie took over the role of "mother" for Walter for five years. As part of her surrogate role, Gussie provided some of the best home cooking anyone could ever desire. If there was one thing you could count on, it was three delicious meals a day. And you always knew that each day, Gussie would prepare some type of fresh vegetable, be it green beans, black-eyed peas, purple hull peas, butter beans or any other member of the legume family. Thanksgiving Day was a feast at her home, a true cornucopia of meats, vegetables and not one, but several desserts. With the special family table cloth as a backdrop for all the food, Gussie's family gathered around to create some of our fondest memories in New London. But Gussie was always the last one to take her place at the table. She would only sit down after everyone else had filled their plates and were comfortable. That, perhaps, describes the way Gussie lived her life better than any other illustration. Gussie had a sharp wit to the day she died. With a wry smile, you could always count on her quick response to keep someone in his or her place -- but always in a friendly way that made her opinion even more penetrating. One of the things Gussie loved best in her last days was a good back rub. With sounds of "ohhh," "ahhh," "just a little higher to the left" and "yea, right there," you could almost put her to sleep with a few stokes up and down her spine and around the shoulders. Gussie also enjoyed rides throughout East Texas, accompanied by an occasional ice cream cone. She had almost a photographic memory of roads and landmarks around New London and Henderson. Gus was just as accurate as a road map, but you didn't have to fold her up at the end of the trip. Some of her trademark sayings were: "I reckon," "Lands sakes," "Oh poo," and "Hellooooo." Gussie's house is filled with pictures of her family and friends. They are a legacy to someone who will be remembered for being a devoted daughter, loyal sister and caring aunt - someone with a heart as big as Texas! The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm, Friday, November 21.