Elizabeth Irene Patterson

She was born December 19, 1926 in Newport, Rhode Island as Elizabeth "Bess" Fotelis. Her parents, Angelo and Irene Janaros Fotelis, were both Greek immigrants and she grew up there as an active member of the Greek community. Her father started the well-known restaurant "Canfield House" in Newport.

Blessed with unique singing talent, Elizabeth graduated from New England Conservatory in Boston and the Julliard School of Music in New York. She sang with the Robert Shaw Chorale and in New York supper clubs before marrying William E. Patterson in 1953. She was a soloist at the wedding of John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy in Newport.

While her husband was a naval officer and engineer with Shell Oil Company, she lived in Puerto Rico, Aruba, and several States in the US. She sang and directed children's choirs in the Episcopal Church.

To enable a daughter to graduate from college without student loans, she took a position in retail sales in the 1970s and advanced to Manager of Ladies Ready-to-Wear for a Sakowitz store in Houston, TX. Lady Bird Johnson was one of her customers.

She became an active exhibitor of Cardigan Welsh Corgis at dog shows in the 1980s, and made many friends as owner of Best in Show "Hanna" and a number of other breed champions. She was editor of an award winning breed newsletter and was a published writer of magazine articles about Welsh Corgis.

She and her husband moved to San Antonio in 1998 and became members of St. George Episcopal Church. In 2001 her husband established the Elizabeth Patterson Scholarship Fund at Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin from which two scholarships are awarded to seminarians each year. In more recent years they became members of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in San Antonio.

Having been raised in the restaurant business, she was always appreciative of good food and good service in eating places. She was an avid reader of mystery books and enjoyed collecting stuffed toys as holiday gifts for children.

Elizabeth is survived by her husband of 56 years, daughters Karyle Beitman of Ketchikan, AK, and Suzie Williams of San Antonio, and son William K. Patterson of Houston. Also surviving are seven grandchildren and a number of great grandchildren.

Family members are grateful for the kind care and attention given to Elizabeth at Patriot Heights Nursing Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Guide Dogs of Texas, Inc., 1503 Allena Drive, San Antonio, TX 78213.