Linda Kay Patterson, 74, died Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023 at Jackson General Hospital following a short illness. Funeral services were 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at Shackelford Funeral Directors – Henderson, East Main Chapel with Troy Kilzer II officiating. Burial followed at Henderson City Cemetery. Pallbearers were Gavin Crawford, Jeff Crawford, Mike Doyle, Brandon Pipkin, Garrett Robison, and Phillip Robison. The family received friends at East Main Chapel from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, and then from noon until 2 p.m. service time Saturday.
She was born July 12, 1949, the daughter of the late Vaudie and Evie Smith Patterson. The Patterson family made their home in Henderson. She graduated from Chester County High School in 1967. She continued her education at Union University earning a B.A. in Elementary Education in 1971 and later a Masters in Elementary Education from Memphis State. She was a 50 year member of Zeta Tau Alpha at Union University.
She began her teaching career in Ripley but returned to her hometown of Henderson in 1976. For the next 38 years, she dedicated her professional career to enhancing the lives of everyone she met in the Chester County School System. While working for the Chester County Board of Education, she taught at both West Chester and East Chester Elementary. She served as principal at East for seven years, the Family Resources Director and co-principal at North Chester for two years, Title I and Pre-K Director for the county and Elementary Supervisor for eight years. During this time, she received awards, including Chester County Teacher of the Year and Supervisor of the Year. While she officially retired in 2014, she remained involved in the community, serving as Early Childhood consultant for the SWHRA, on the Board of Directors for the Hardeman County Community Health Center that includes Chester, Hardeman and Haywood counties and on the Neighborhood Network West TN Advisory Board.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Henderson, and, in her younger years, volunteered her time in the children’s ministry, including teaching Sunday school for 20 years.
She enjoyed meeting up with friends for lunch, traveling for visits with friends and family and attending many local sporting and theater events. She was always eager to share a hug and her laugh instantly brought a smile to your face.
Since the death of her mother in 2006, her primary role has been as caretaker of her handicapped brother, Thomas Gwendell Patterson, who currently resides in Selmer.
She is survived by her brother and cousins, Charles Smith of Kabula, Mo., Brenda Wright of Peoria, Ill., Harold Vires of Bartonville, Ill., Bill Webster of Bethel Springs, Bobby Webster of Lexington, Susan (Jimmy) Strickland of Finger, Ann Keistler of Memphis, Margaret Stinnett of Memphis, Lois Moore of Memphis, Katie Sowell of Selmer, JoAnn Easley of Savannah, Ralph Robison of Selmer, Gary Robison of Bethel Springs, Cathy Clay of Memphis and Phillip Patterson of Memphis.
She was preceded in death by her brother, James Francis Patterson in 1998.
