Edith L. Paterson

Obituary for Edith Lillian Paterson (nee Bissontz)

“Wendy, are you having any fun?” was one of the questions Mom asked me almost every time I visited her at Beechwood. As I thought about composing a suitable tribute to the life of this amazing woman, wife, mother, aunt, executive secretary, nurse’s aide, church stalwart, that silly little question came to mind immediately. Mom loved to have fun. I have pictures of her riding her horse with her friend Rosemary, and Mom’s hysterical story of Rosemary clinging to the horse’s mane to keep from falling off. One favorite picture is the one of a 28 year old Mom with one wedgy clad foot on the bumper of a 1949 Chrysler. She is smiling at the camera and posing like the pin-up girl she most certainly was. While my Dad was overseas during WWII, she sent him some really great pictures that I’m sure rivaled Dorothy Lamour for glamour! Even better than the posed shots are the ones that captured her charm, her pixie-ish spirit and her joy for living, even in the darkest of times. In her 102nd year, everyone at Beechwood knew “Edie.” They used to tell me “She’s so cute! We love Edie.” So that is the Edith L. Paterson I would like remembered. Be sure you have some fun today and think of Edie.

My sister Gail and I gained a deep and abiding love of literature and poetry from Mom. While she never had the chance to go to college, her repertoire of scripture, poetry and history rivaled even the brightest scholar I have known. Here is a poem I wrote for her in a journal I gave her with this dedication: “This journal is for you, Mom, because you taught us to love poetry.”

My Mother Sends Me Poetry (With Love, from Wendy)

My mother sends me poetry

Tucked inside greeting cards

That arrive like a hug,

Unbidden, but so welcome.

She chooses from the poems

She taught us when we were young,

And some she loves herself.

From her familiar tiny script

Bird songs rise and playful squirrels

“Crunch the frost encrisped leaves.”

Warm winds and iridescent sunsets

Shine through each poet’s measures,

And I am transported out of myself,

My here and now

To Longfellow’s “misty air” and “blazing sun,”

Or Browning’s “clover scented grass” and “drowsy poppies.”

Here hum the bees and St. Vincent Millay thanks her God

For the beauty of “burning leaf and grey skies.”

So my mother sings to me

In poetry sent with love and memories

To float my spirit out of daily shadows

And remind me of how lucky it was

That I was born her daughter.

Edith was the cherished wife of 37 years to the late Donald W. Paterson; adored mother of Gail P. (John) Streete, PhD. and Wendy A. (Donald L. Pembleton) Paterson, PhD.; beloved grandmother of Eric A. (Nicole L. Favale) Curley and also survived by many Paterson cousins. Special thanks and gratitude to Edith’s caregivers at Beechwood Continuing Care. Please join Edith's family on Friday from 5 - 8 PM at the DENGLER ROBERTS PERNA FUNERAL HOME 3070 Delaware Ave, Kenmore NY. A Funeral Service will be celebrated at the Funeral Home on Saturday at 11AM. Interment will follow at Elmlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Tonawanda NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Edith’s memory to Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo, 225 Como Park Blvd, Cheektowaga, New York 14227 US; and American Cancer Society , P.O. Box 6704 , Hagerstown, Maryland 21741 US.