Wanda Jean Patterson

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Wanda Jean Patterson, “Jean”, 98, of Terrell, TX is being held at 11:00am, Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. Jean fell asleep in death peacefully in her home, April 19, 2023, surrounded by her family. She was born August 3, 1924 to Belar Sims and Willie Alice Tinney Sims in Winnsboro, TX. She grew up in Winnsboro, where she dedicated her life to Jehovah God, symbolized her dedication with water baptism, and remained faithful until she fell asleep in death. 

Jean married H. D. “Pete” Patterson October 30, 1942, and they made their home in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas. Together they had three daughters, Martha Lynn, Betty Gay, and Deborah, as well as one son Joel Anthony. Jean left the pea fields of East Texas to work at Neiman-Marcus in downtown Dallas in 1942.  The associates she worked with thought she had just come from the Bahamas from her summer tan, when really, she was just a country girl that got her tan picking peas. She worked four years at Neiman’s before staying home to be a homemaker and mother to her girls.  In 1967, she went to back work at Texas Instruments (TI as she always referred to it in conversation), where she retired after 21 years.  

Jean is preceded in death by her parents, Belar and Alice Sims, husband, Pete Patterson, daughter Martha Lynn Thacker, and son-in-law, Bob Taylor. 

Jean leaves behind two daughters, Betty Taylor of Terrell, TX, and Deborah Hendrickson (Roger) of Memphis, TN, one son Joel Patterson (Emily) of Midlothian, TX, eight grandchildren, Lisa Parker (Chris) of Wills Point, TX, Tara Butler of Allen, TX, Katie Lewis (Justin) of Somerville, TN, Lisa Hendrickson of Memphis, TN, Christina Gonzalez (John) of Garland, TX, Jake Patterson (Amanda) of Seagoville, TX, Olivia Hatley of Midlothian, TX and Bella Hatley of Midlothian, TX, thirteen great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation in Jean’s honor be made to the Alzheimer’s Association c/o Lakeshore Assisted Living at 5250 Medical Dr., Rockwall, TX 75032 or to the worldwide work of Jehovah’s Witnesses at JW.org or with a random act of kindness for your neighbor, as Jean was always a kind and giving person.

The family would also like to thank Donna White, Brenda Chacon, the Lakeshore Assisted Living and Memory Care Staff as well as Alinea Hospice of Terrell and Silverstone Hospice of Dallas for the care they gave to our sweet Nanny over her last two years. 

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