Obituaries

Margaret Simpson Patterson, 86

Margaret Simpson Patterson, 86, died March 27, 2008 at her home from pancreatic cancer, surrounded by her loving family. Born in Lancaster, she was the daughter of the late William Hensel and Agnes Malone Simpson.

She graduated from Sacred Heart School and Lancaster Catholic High School. She worked at the Lancaster General Hospital and attended the University of Pennsylvania while working at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia. Shortly after World War II, she returned to Lancaster where she met Anthony R. "Pat" Patterson, a young project engineer at Armstrong Cork Company. They married shortly thereafter.

Her volunteer work was compelling and varied. As a young woman, she served in many volunteer capacities at Sacred Heart Church and the Junior League of Lancaster. After her family relocated to Northeastern Pennsylvania, she established the welcoming committee for newcomers at Our Lady of Snows Church in Clarks Summit. She was also a founder of the Friends of Lourdesmont, which assisted at-risk girls. She was dedicated to the pro-life movement.

During her winters in Florida, she volunteered in the soup kitchen of the Guadaupe Center of Immokalee, assisting impoverished migrant laborers and their children. She also worked at the charity thrift shop. In Lancaster, she was a volunteer at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Hospice of Lancaster County. She was a superb communicator of both the oral and written word, and enhanced profoundly the lives she touched.

She was preceded in death by her twin sister and by her brothers W. Roger and George B. Simpson, her son, Joseph Timothy Patterson, her daughter, Marian Patterson Byrnes, her grandson, Thomas Patrick Byrnes, and her son-in-law, Mark Edmund Burns. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Anthony R. Patterson, sons Anthony R. Patterson, Jr., DMD, Christopher M. Patterson, Esq., and Matthew P. Patterson, DMD of Lancaster, and George B. Patterson of Sewickley, and by daughters Margaret Patterson Burns, LMSW, of Dallas, TX, and Rosemary P. Costello of West Chester. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 19 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her twin sister, Marian S. Rowan.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 558 W. Walnut Street, Lancaster, PA on Monday, March 31, 2008 at 10 AM. Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery. There will be a viewing at the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home and Chapel, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA on Sunday night from 7-9 PM and a viewing on Monday at Sacred Heart from 9:00-9:45 AM. Sunday night the Rosary will be recited at 8:45 PM

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Margaret’s memory to Hospice of Lancaster County, PO Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125; Lancaster Catholic High School, 650 Juliette Ave., Lancaster, PA 17601; A Woman’s Concern, 616 N. Duke St., Lancaster, PA 17602, or Sacred Heart of Jesus, 558 W. Walnut St., Lancaster, PA 17603.

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To the Patterson Family, so sorry to hear of your mom’s passing. Having lost my mother this February, I can image your sadness in this difficult time. Please accept my condoloences and prayers…

MARK USCIAK-photographer

One wit (George Bernard Shaw?) once observed: "The tragedy in life is not that we die. It’s what dies inside us while we are still alive."

I have not known this remarkable woman to have had one ounce of spiritual decay over the course of her lifetime. Not only did she withstand the most daunting of heartaches, she bolstered the spirits and resolve of those similarly afflicted. What courage! What generosity! What faith! She was strength personified.

The greatest generation continues to slip away before our very eyes. No tragedy here; only celebration for a life well-lived, and an inspiration to us all.

Rest in Peace,

Mark Lombard,
Dallas, TX

Please know that Steve, Nana, Alex and I send our heartfelt condolences — what a blessed life!

Elisa Maloff Reiter

Dallas, Texas

I will keep your family in our prayers. With deepest sympathies for your loss,

Patricia Lehtola
Dallas, Texas

Our love and sympathy go out to all the Patterson family, especially to her husband, Pat, and to Margaret Patterson Burns who married my nephew Mark Burns. The highlights of that happy wedding day remain in the memories of Eleanor and me, and we hope those memories in your family help to ease the sadness that accompanies the death of any family member. We are so glad we made the trip to Pennsylvania from our home in Kansas for the wedding and for the very brief encounter with the Patterson family, and the enjoyment of their hospitality. Later, when Margaret learned we were attempting to locate a place to stay for a Florida winter, she went out of her way to put us in touch with friends near the Patterson’s winter home down there. I know this was a small thing compared to the very significant services and works of charity she performed in her lifetime for all kinds of people–people known and unknown to her. May she Rest in Peace, and may God Bless all of your blessed family.

Wendall and Eleanor Burns

Please accept our deepest and most sincere sympathies. We have wonderful memories of Margaret. God bless you and console you always.

The O’Grady, Germain, Armillay,and

LaPorte Families

How grateful I am to have known Margaret, even if just for a few years! She and my mother became fast friends quickly, and shared good and bad times with visits, then letters and phone calls until Mom died last September here in Virginia. Our prayers and love to Margaret’s family. What a wonderful life!

Leslie Poole
Roanoke, Virginia

I had the cheerful privilege of knowing Margaret and Pat while they and my mother, Corinne Poole, and my sister, Leslie Poole, were neighbors in Lancaster during the last several years.

How outgoing Margaret was! Her warm, welcoming nature was so meaningful! Mom often talked about what a genuine friend and a wonderful person Margaret was. She admired in particular how natural Margaret was, how especially sincere.

I always felt, and will continue to feel, grateful to Margaret for being an attentive friend to my mother and for embodying the lovely quality of simple friendliness.

May the loving arms of God and His peaceful solace give you comfort in your times of missing her.

Valerie Tarrant

You are all in my prayers and thoughts at this sad time. I remember Aunt Margie as so much fun & such a great encourager to all of us growing up. She had an incredibly wise and wonderful way about her. I know you will all miss her terribly. My mother and Aunt Bernie will also miss her deeply–since they were all such great childhood pals with so many stories–one could hardly hope to keep track! Her life is a lovely example of a life well-lived with a wonderful marriage, family, and friends. God be with you all now in this time & as we each move toward the eternal kingdom & see Aunt Margie again with the Lord on the other side. Our end here only opens the door to the life we were created for.

Sincerest condolences & blessings,

Jill Joyce and Family–> (Alexis & Adam Kaye and Jonathan Becker)

We were very sorry to hear about your loss. Although we didn’t know Margaret, she seems to have touched many people in a very positive way and must have been a remarkable woman. Please know that we are thinking of you in your time of sorrow. Please accept our condolences. We will be making a donation to Hospice of Lancaster County in Margaret’s memory.

Sincerely,

Friends from All-Pak

Rick Shippen, Anita Poage, Jason Fitch, Jen Urbano, Kim Biggerstaff, Bill Leach, Irene Martin, Gina Bell, Chris Wasel, Judy Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Windhorst, Shawn Forsyth, Stefan Selvoski, Angela Lloyd, Carol Heckman, Debbie Kolodziek, Jon Flowers, Peggy Fernandez, Robin Cole, Tommie DeFelice, Adrien Brown.

All of the Richard Bucher family send their sincere sympathy and love to you at this time. Our Dad would call her ‘Twinny’ & grin…such memories and fun as children together especially at Wit’s End with their Mothers.

We have seldom seen such energy and ambition to travel and Keep Going exerted by anyone with this condition & are truly inspired. Margaret Patterson remains a role model for all of us! And a dear friend to our Aunt Bernice Bucher. We hold this Twinny dear at this time and send you our strength and comfort.

Julie Bucher

My husband Richard and I had the pleasure of meeting Margaret through her remarkable daughter Margaret Patterson Burns. It was clear to us from the start that both women shared the same endearing sense of humor, an empathy for others, the depth of character that is the true hallmark of a good and lasting friend, and a deep and abiding love for each other. We were moved by the love of this mother for her daughter and the strength she provided with calm and assurance. We know that our friend Margaret was all of that and more for her sweet mother in kind.

To all the Pattersons we extend our hearts and prayers and to our Margaret, we send our love and our affirmation that she has honored her mother in a way that is an example to us all.

Your loss is profound, I know. Her’s was a life so very well lived. Her courage and strength is reflected in her children. Daughter Margaret is my connection to this remarkable woman and the love I have for her should be shared by you all as you remember and continue to cherish "The Twin".

In Sympathy,

Barbara Jones
Houston, TX

Sending you thoughts and prayers of peace and familial togetherness during this time of transition. Margaret is such a special person, and her spirit will live on.

With love,

Carolee

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time. Rose, surely no mother could have asked for a better daughter as I know how good you were to your Mother.

I knew you mother was special from the first time I met her.Rose and I took her to Ocean City for the day so we could work for a client there. I enjoyed our day at the beach and your mothers independent spirit when she took off on her walk and never told us she was going. As we frantically searched the boardwalk. When she was found she wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

It still makes me smile…

I hope you can all recall similar stories that put a smile on your faces.

With deep and heartfelt sympathy,

Margie McGuire and family

With all my love and great sadness.

Ginger

With deepest sympathy, our thoughts and prayers are with your family.

From your friends and family at the CAP Center.

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