Grace Wilkinson Patten of Clayton, a former resident of Tifton, died Monday, April 28, 2008, at the age of 93 at Traces of Tiger Assisted Living Facility in Clayton. Graveside funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2008, in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Dr. W. Ches Smith, III will officiate with burial to follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Bob Merritt, Gary Green, Jack Green, Jay Green, Brett Bowman, Dan Carter and Ronnie Frasor will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 1, 2008, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mrs. Patten was born on November 3, 1914 in Banks County and was the daughter of Ina and Terrell Wilkinson, both deceased. She grew up in Toccoa and attended the University of Georgia and Piedmont College, receiving a degree in elementary education. She taught school in Toccoa for 10 years and, in 1945, she came to Tifton to teach and met and married the late Walker Patten. She was a member of Tifton's First Baptist Church. After 25 years of teaching at Annie Belle Clark Elementary School, she retired and became a member of the Crepe Myrtle Garden Club and the Tifton Woman's Club.
She left Tifton in 1994 and moved to Macon to be close to her only daughter, Martha Patten Folsom. After her son-in-law retired, they moved to Clayton, where she became active again in the Clayton Woman's Club, being made an honorary member. In Clayton, she joined the First Methodist Church and was active in CRN and her Sunday school class.
Mrs. Patten is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Martha Patten Folsom and her husband, Roy "Buster" Folsom, of Clayton; two granddaughters, Susan and Sara Elizabeth; a great grandson, Anthony; and one sister, Dot Green.