NATICK: Mary Jean (Chappell) Patton, age 86, a longtime Natick resident and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away on Wednesday morning, March 18, 2015, at the Miriam Boyd Parlin Hospice Residence in Wayland. She was the devoted wife of William L. Patton, Jr., who died on December 25, 2014, for 60 years.
Born in Philadelphia, she was a daughter of the late William D. and Myrtle E. (Worrell) Chappell. Mary was raised and educated in Wellesley, graduating with the Gamaliel Bradford High School Class of 1946. The recipient of a full scholarship from the Wellesley Women’s Club, Mary continued her education at Boston University’s Sargent College. She completed a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in Physical Education in 1950.
Mary served her period of student teaching at Pine Hill Junior College and Natick Junior High School. After a brief period with the Millbury Schools, Mary was able to join the phys. ed. staff at Coolidge Junior High School in Natick. She and Bill were married in 1954 and settled in Natick the following year. She continued teaching until the birth of their first child.
Through the years, Mary was an active volunteer, devoting her time to the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts as a Brownie and Scout Troop Leader, and a GSA Neighborhood Chairwoman; as an organizer of the Wellesley Women’s Club’s baseball and softball leagues which were part of a program with MCI Framingham; and as a Sunday School Teacher with the Natick Baptist Church.
Mary returned to the workforce as an Activities Director at Wellesley Manor and was later employed with Sudbury Pines Nursing Home. She retired at 70 after 28 years in the field. The next many years were spent enjoying time with the 15 Gardeners’ Club, the Natick Senior Center, and the Natick Women’s Club with whom she had been vice president. Despite all of her many roles, the ones that trumped all were always those of wife and mother, and later, grandmother.
She is survived by her loving daughters, Judith P. Kaplan and her husband Steven of Acton, and Heidi C. Patton of Arlington, and her adored grandchildren, Lauren, Rachel, Seth, and Sabina. Mary was also the sister of the late Catherine M. Chappell Larsen and William D. Chappell, II.
There will be no public service. Her family requests that any gifts made in Mary’s memory benefit the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, 95 Berkeley Street, Suite 404, Boston, MA 02116 (www.girlscoutseasternmass.org/donate).