Doris Jane Peel Peel Patterson

Doris Jane Patterson, 85, of Bryan, passed away Saturday, March 13, 2010 at St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan. Funeral service is Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Bryan. Interment will follow the service at Steep Hollow Cemetery. A visitation was held Monday, March 15, 2010 at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan.

Doris was born on February 6, 1925 to David Franklin Peel and Ethel Nunley Peel in Port Sullivan, Milam County, Texas. (near Hearne) She passed away from a massive stroke on Saturday March 13, 2010. Doris grew up on a cotton plantation on the Brazos River where paddle-wheel steam boats came up the river to Port Sullivan carrying supplies and returned with cotton and corn which was taken to markets in Galveston. Their first home had no electricity, no plumbing, and no running water.

Upon high school graduation, she moved to Bryan to attend McKensie Baldwin Business College. Later, while keeping books at the Texas A&M dining hall, she met and married Carol Munroe Patterson, ('Pat) who was a student in veterinary medicine. When he graduated, they moved to his first practice in Comanche, Texas. But soon Pat wanted to go to the 'last frontier,' the Territory of Alaska, so they packed all they could into their car and sold the rest. In 1949, with an infant daughter, they drove mostly gravel roads from Texas to Alaska, where they lived and worked there a little over a year

After they moved back, they had a son, Mike, who died of cystic fibrosis at the age of 13.

Doris worked at the Agricultural Soil Conservation Service for many years and then she and Pat formed Research Equipment Co., making cages for animals in medical research, where they were sold nationwide and in many foreign countries. Doris ran the business for several years after Pat's death, and then sold it.

Doris and Pat moved to the Steep Hollow community, near Bryan, in 1957 and were very active in community activities. Doris was the pitcher for the Steep Hollow women's softball team & struck fear in the hearts of all opponents when she took the mound! For decades, a community pot-luck supper was held once a month and when that died out, Doris organized the Steep Hollow ladies monthly luncheon, so the "old-timers" could keep in touch.

An avid fan of Aggie sports, and especially Lady Aggie sports, Doris attended eighty-four Aggie sporting events during the 2008-2009 school year That was her personal record. She definitely bled maroon!!

For 15 years, she cared for her mother and her mother-in-law at Crestview. During that time she did lots of volunteer work there, making birthday cakes, cookies, crocheting lap robes. Doris sewed, embroidered, did needlepoint, crocheted countless afghans, made quilts for her daughter and her granddaughters. She loved to fish and deer hunt and taught her daughter and granddaughters to do the same. She taught them how to clean a fish, and how to gut a deer, skin it, dress it, and cook it up in the pan.

She used to have huge gardens and put up lots of vegetables and fruit, as well as having cows that she pampered, and each one was named.

Lions Club of Brazos County -Founded in 1988, Doris was a charter member, and achieved twenty years of perfect attendance. She was club president in 1993 and 1994 and received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award from Lions International. She and Gerry Chandler attended a Lions International Convention in Hong Kong. She was a Century Club supporter of The Texas Lions Camp for Children every year from 1989 to 2010. Little did she know that her great-grandson would have Juvenile Diabetes and attend the camp several times.

First United Methodist Church- She is a long-time member and has served in many capacities. She belonged to the Neighborly Class about 30 years, where she served numerous times as president.

Brazos Beautiful- Doris was a founding member, and was extremely busy for many years keeping their books and working in their programs.

Business & Professional Women- She was a member for many years and held positions within the club.

North Bryan Community Center- Doris served as secretary and was a member of the advisory board. For all her volunteer efforts, she received an award from Texas Governor Ann Richards.

After retiring, Doris traveled all over the world with her friends and her daughter, Carol. Lately, she spent her time playing '42' with the Kurten community center group, going to Lady Aggie games with her 'maroon' friends, caring for her cows, going to the beauty shop, getting her nails done, and visiting her friends. She has never been one to sit still, ever!! She was always in action!

Doris Jane Patterson is survived by her daughter Carol Jane Patterson-May and son-in-law Bill May, her grand daughters and their husbands, Dana & Brad Kopetsky, Dawn and Brent Bratton, and her great grandchildren: Colby and Marlee Kopetsky, and Tye and Milo Bratton. Her only surviving sibling is Irma Faye Hubble of Independence, Missouri. Her sister-in-law is Bea Patterson of Houston, Texas. Doris had numerous nieces and nephews.