Ardell A. Patterson, age 80, of Pensacola, Florida passed away on Tuesday April 23, 2019 with her family by her side. Ardell was born September 29, 1938 in New Britain, CT. While Ardell was in high school she met the love of her life, Robert Patterson. After knowing each other for seven years, they were married, raised a family together and loved each other deeply for 57 years.
Ardell earned her diploma in nursing from the Hartford Hospital School of Nursing in Hartford, CT, where she was the recipient of the Oliver J. Smith Award (highest ranking academic and professionalism award) and went on to become a nursing instructor. As an instructor, Ardell assisted nursing students and patients during the deadly 1961 Hartford Hospital Fire. This fire changed safety standards for hospitals throughout the country. Ardell later went on to receive her B.A. in Early Childhood & Family Intervention from Emmanuel College in Boston, MA, and then worked for 17 years at Tufts New England Medical Center as a nurse and licensed social worker. While at this job she participated in cutting edge care, taking care of failure to thrive babies, while supporting their families. Later on, she was a program director for the early intervention services for Sullivan County, NH. Ardell was gifted at helping families in need.
During her retirement years Ardell moved to Perdido Key. She and her husband volunteered at Saint Vincent DePaul society at the Holy Spirit Church assisting struggling families. As Ardell had done her entire life, she used her professional skills and her strong sense of caring to make a difference in others lives.
Ardell is preceded in death by her parents, Henry Schmidt and Luella Gagnon Schmidt. She is survived by her loving husband; daughter and son in law, Karen and Jim Hagerott; son and daughter in law, Robert and Barbara Patterson, (Jr.); sister and brother in law, Shirley and Frank Bednaz and grandchildren she doted on: Brian, Shaun, Reed, Trevor; as well as several nieces and nephews.
A funeral mass will be held at 5:00 pm, Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 10650 Gulf Beach Hwy, Pensacola, FL 32507. Family will receive friends for visitation one hour prior to the mass and a reception will immediately follow at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Life Center.
Despite Ardell's love of gardening and beautiful flowers, she would have preferred donations, in her memory, to St. Vincent DePaul Society, 10650 Gulf Beach Hwy, Pensacola, FL 32507.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oaklawnfunerals.com for the Patterson family.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Oak Lawn Funeral Home.
