Laconia-----Andrea E. Patten passed away at the Taylor Community on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 after a long illness.
Mrs. Patten was born in Nashua, N.H. on May 6, 1922 to Olive and Guy Hersey. The family migrated to Peterborough, N.H. where she graduated from High School in 1939. She tells of an interesting childhood while living on the Schofield estate in Peterborough where her father was employed as chauffeur. She studied hairdressing in Boston, Mass. She had two older sisters, Frances and Marian, both of whom are deceased.
In 1946, she moved to the Belmont, N.H. area, where she met her husband, Fred Patten. They moved to Laconia in 1967. Fred passed away in 1977 and Andrea remained in her home on New Hope Drive until moving to the Taylor Community in 1996.
Mrs. Patten kept busy with her many crafts –producing great numbers of needlepoint pieces, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, ceramics, chair caning among other things. She always had pets – especially cats and dogs. She enjoyed berry picking, vegetable gardening, preserving foods and her flower gardens. She also enjoyed singing. She and Fred enjoyed dancing.
Mrs. Patten did various kinds of work throughout the years. She found that she did not enjoy the hair dressing profession, but did domestic work, some stocking factory work in Belmont, was an attendant at the Laconia State School for a number of years and a nursing assistant at the long term care facility on Blueberry Lane where she earned her LNA certification, of which she was very proud. She retired at the age of 66.
Mrs. Patten was active in the parish of St. James Episcopal Church, gladly becoming involved after an absence since childhood in Peterborough. She served as a member of the Vestry.
She moved to Taylor Community in 1996, where she enjoyed her residence at 4 Taylor Home Drive with her cat, Dinah, for many years before moving to Ledgeview at Taylor Community. She was grateful for the care and compassion especially from the activities department as they patiently enabled her to be active in her church for as long as possible. She will be remembered for her passionate determination to remain independent.
Mrs. Patten was predeceased by her husband, Fred, and her son, David. She leaves two children; Laura Patten of Beverly Hills, FL and Janet Filaroski of Laconia; seven grandchildren, Andrea Kingston and Joanne Chase of Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H., David Patten of Cornish, N.H., Trisha Tucker and Sarajane Patten of Sarasota, FL, Michael Filaroski of Carlisle, PA and Robert Filaroski of Kauai, HI; eleven great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren.
There will be no calling hours.
A Memorial Services will be held on Saturday May 11, 2013 at 2:00PM at St. James Episcopal Church, 876 North Main Street, Laconia, NH.
For those who wish, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the New Hampshire Humane Society, PO Box 572, Laconia, NH 03247, St. James Episcopal Church, 876 North Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246 or to Central New Hampshire VNA & Hospice, 780 North Main Street, Laconia, NH 03246.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N. H. is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.