Nancy Wood Patton

Nancy Wood Patton, age 85, died peacefully at home on February 2, 2022. Born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, on September 10, 1936, she is predeceased by her parents, Frances Loren Patton, nee Helton, and William Brooks Patton and her brother Thomas Wellington Patton and wife Lucie Searle Patton. She is survived by a sister, Ann Brooks Patton of White Plains, New York, and two nephews, Thomas Helton Patton of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and William Searle Patton and wife Audrey Tolar of Knoxville, Tennessee.

Following high school she entered Martin College in Pulaski, Tennessee earning a Bachelor of Science in 1958 and in 1959 earned a Master of Arts degree at George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee. She began her teaching career in a Nashville Metro School but soon joined the faculty at Father Ryan High School in 1963, notably hired as the first Lay Person member of the faculty. During her time at Father Ryan she loved sharing her knowledge of science, especially biology.

She retired from Father Ryan in August of 2001 after 39 years and was honored at a retirement reception. She was beloved by all and remembered fondly by her students for her unique teaching style and, more importantly, for her remarkable rapport with her students.

In addition to teaching she enjoyed being a homeowner and gardener, was an avid crossword puzzle solver and loved preparing her home for Christmas with family and friends. She attended Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville and was a supporter of the music program there. Toward the end of her teaching career, she found time to supervise caring for her mother and her aunt, Nella Wood Helton, who were both in nursing homes for some time.

She made countless trips to Lawrenceburg along with taking care of endless paper work to make sure that they felt loved and were well cared for in their final days. A Memorial Visitation time to remember Nancy is planned for some time in June at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Memorial Park--date to be announced on their web site (www.woodlawn-roesch-pattonfh.com) as well as on the web site of Father Ryan High School (www.fatherryan.org).

If you would like to honor her life, kindly consider making a donation to Father Ryan High School or to the Music Program at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville, Tennessee in her name. Interment at a later date will be private.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Woodlawn-Roesch-PattonFH.com for the PATTON family.