Leora Viola Patterson

LEORA VIOLA PATTERSON, age 102, of Roseburg, Oregon passed away January 22, 2016 with her son at her side. Leora was born on December 17, 1913 in Sharon, North Dakota to Wilhelm and Gustina Frohriep. She lived in Sharon until her father and sister, June, passed during the 1918 flu epidemic. Leora's mother remarried in 1927 to John M. Noyes and the family moved to Carson, North Dakota. Leora graduated Carson high School in 1931 and earned her teaching certificate in 1934. She worked for the Department of Reclamation and in the hospital at Bismarck until the family moved to Roseburg on the urging of friends who moved here to escape the drought in 1937. In Roseburg, Leora's parents purchased and operated a motor court, Camp View. Leora worked as a secretary and in 1939 met Claude W. "Pat" Patterson. In October, 1942 they were married in Reno, Nevada. During WWII, they both served at the POW camps at Camp Cooke, now Vandenberg and Camp Florence, Arizona. Leora worked in the office of civilian housing and Provo Marshall's Office and earned 2 certificates for her service. After the war, she and Pat moved back to Roseburg. She worked for several local doctors as an Office Manager. In 1955, she gave birth to a son, Lynn and became a fulltime housewife, volunteering on charity drives and later, the election board for many years. Leora was a very caring person and helped many sick friends and neighbors; cooking, shopping and driving them. She loved animals and over the years gave many abandoned cats a loving home. She enjoyed gardening and was an organic gardener before it was popular. She enjoyed fishing, camping, beachcombing, berry picking in the mountains and sewing. Although not able to travel much, she did, in later years, take many trips with her son, Lynn who was a long haul trucker and got to see a lot of the country that way. She rode with him until she was 99 years old.
Leora is survived by her son, Lynn Patterson, of Roseburg and numerous cherished family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilhelm and Gustina and husband, Pat, who passed in 1981.
Lynn would like to thank the firemen and paramedics and especially the Mercy Emergency Room staff for their caring support and nurse, Julie, for being there with him when mom passed.
A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. Please make donations in Leora's memory to New Beginnings SPCA, Saving Grace Pet Adoption Center or Shriner's Hospital.