Homer Scott Patterson Jr.

March 27, 2020, in his home in Atlanta, surrounded by his loving wife and family.

Born in Washington DC on July 19, 1931, to the late Homer Scott Patterson, Sr. and Ruth Wilson

Patterson, he is survived by his wife Eleanor Brower Patterson, his three children, Briggs Patterson McMillan (Steve) of Atlanta; Margaret Patterson Braden (Mark) of Rome; and H. Scott Patterson, III, (Marie) of Bogart; two grandsons, Andrew Steven McMillan (Salt Lake City, UT) and Cameron Briggs McMillan (Palmdale, CA), and two step granddaughters Elise Braden (San Francisco, CA) and Emily Braden (Atlanta).

Scott’s three children are by his marriage in 1954 to Anne Briggs Browder of Springfield, TN. In 1979, Scott married Eleanor Irene Brower of Fort Myers, FL, and they celebrated their 40th anniversary this past November.

Before the age of four, Scott and his parents moved to Atlanta, where he was raised. He graduated high school from the Darlington School in Rome, where he ran track and was on the first boys’ soccer team in the state, a fact that he proudly shared throughout his life with any soccer player he met. President of the Honor Council during his senior year, he also earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Scott always said he wanted to do two things in life: become a naval officer and a physician, specifically, a psychiatrist. He was grateful to have been able to do both.

The recipient of a George F. Baker Fellowship, Scott attended Vanderbilt University after high school, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He received a bachelor’s degree with a double major in psychology and philosophy, and a master’s degree in clinical psychology, after which he proudly served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Vulcan as Operations Officer, LTjg. Upon his discharge three years later, he enrolled at the Medical College of Georgia where he was president of the Honor Council and recipient of the Mosby Book Award.

Upon completing his first year of residency in psychiatry at Emory University’s School of Medicine, he practiced general medicine for four years, two in Atlanta, and two at Milledgeville State Hospital. During his service as Director of Medical Services at its Jones West Hospital, the African American division where psychiatric patients were admitted for medical treatment, the death rate declined by 50%.

After completing his psychiatric residency, where he was chief resident, at Vanderbilt University’s School of Medicine in 1969, Scott began his long career as a psychiatrist, initially working with patients at the University of Georgia’s Student Health Center in Athens. As adjunct faculty at UGA, he supervised doctoral interns in the counseling psychology program.

During the early 1970’s, Scott moved to Atlanta where he began private practice and was on staff at several psychiatric hospitals and on the psychiatric staff of HCA’s West Paces Ferry Hospital. He was on the consulting staff of Piedmont Hospital and Crawford-Long Hospital, among others.

A long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, Scott served as an elder. He helped establish their Samaritan Counseling Center and served on its Board of Directors. He also participated in training the church’s Stephen Ministers. As psychiatric advisor for the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, Scott evaluated candidates for priesthood.

Among his many endearing traits, Scott’s children will remember his frolicking in the ocean, but never without his Converse sneakers, and his Navy-inspired directions, “Go north on Peachtree, then bear west onto Roswell Rd. They laugh that “these directions would confuse the average bear,” and acknowledge their own occasional befuddlement.

Scott will be remembered by his friends as a kind, loving, gentle man with an edgy (some would say “wicked”) sense of humor. He was “master of the pun.” He loved to play. He loved to laugh. Eleanor shares her surprise when her best friend opened her wallet and the first picture was Scott, laughing. The friend explained, “No one can laugh like Scott does, and it just makes me feel good to look at it.” Another longtime friend of the couple writes, “It was so evident that he was the love of your life, and you were the love of his. Everyone that knew the two of you saw that, felt that.”

Scott enjoyed playing the piano and, in earlier years, the French horn. He was a good dancer and loved doing it…anywhere…in the living room, on the beach, or at a restaurant. Whether there was a dance floor was irrelevant. He enjoyed hosting family and friends on their sailboat. He and Eleanor loved traveling, especially to Europe. Some of their fondest and funniest memories come from those trips. Any remembrance of Scott would be incomplete without a nod to his love for his Mazda Miata. He could be seen tooling around town, top down, well into his 80’s.

Scott will be remembered by his colleagues for his kind demeanor, sage, and unassuming comments. His passion for his work inspired all who had the opportunity to work closely with him. Acknowledging her bias, Eleanor insists that he had more ‘presence’ than anyone she has ever known. “He listened with not only his head, but with his heart. To be in his presence was to feel truly held.” His many patients over the years benefited greatly by these qualities as well as his expertise. His passion and legacy live on, in large part, through Eleanor, a clinical psychologist. They were in practice together for over 40 years.

Always athletic, he loved cycling, hiking, and tennis. In his early 40’s he placed 4th in the state in racket ball, competing against men in their 20’s. Scott had an indomitable, fighting spirit, and was, indeed, a survivor. Upon being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1984 with a prognosis of five years, he said, “Well… this cancer may get me, but it will have to catch me first.” Literally -– the diagnosis spurred him to begin training for his first of many Peachtree Road Races, and his story of outrunning cancer was featured during coverage of the 1987 race. Although Scott had a recurrence in 1989 that came with another dire prognosis, when death finally caught up to him more than 30 years later, he had made a good long run of it.

Tremendous heartfelt thanks from the family goes to Tim Burke, not only for his excellent care-giving skills, but for providing comfort to all of them, and, especially for making Scott laugh. They also extend much appreciation to Tim’s employer, Johnny Daniels, for the countless thoughtful and gratuitous things he offered, and a big thanks to the Agape Hospice team, especially Jennifer, Amina, and Irene. The family is also grateful for Scott’s physicians and their wonderful staff: Jorge Juncos, Charles Wickliffe, Donald Filip, William Jonas, C. Preston Stewart III, Roderic Woodson, Robert DiMeglio, Michael Schaufele and Karl Dannehl.

Out of respect for restrictions and concern for safety imposed by the pandemic, a memorial service with be held at a later date. Donations may be made in memory of Dr. Scott Patterson to the American Parkinson’s Disease Association (Contact: Christabelle Auguste, APDA coordinator for Georgia, PO Box 49416, Atlanta, GA 30359 or donate online at apdaparkinson.org/community/Georgia/ways-give-ga/) or, in the name of Dr. Scott Patterson, to a charity of your choice.