Mary Weedon Drake Patterson, 59, died Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at her home in Tallahassee, Florida after a valiant battle with cancer. Mary was born May 2, 1958 in Tampa, Florida. She graduated from Florida State Developmental Research School in Tallahassee, FL and attended Furman University, in Greenville, SC.
She was the definition of an artist, and art was the driving force behind every aspect of her life. As a mother, her creativity was legendary among her children and their friends. Every project, big or small, is remembered as having been magical. She volunteered tirelessly for her children's extracurricular activities including Cub Scout Troop 123, Top of Florida Soccer Association and Tallahassee Futbol Club.
Her love of gardening was matched only by her love of art and design. In 2001, she merged her gifts and launched her own successful business, Mary Patterson Landscape Design. She never advertised, yet she became very sought after by residential customers and commercial builders alike. In 2009, she was selected by the television show "Extreme Home Makeover" as a landscape designer for their Tallahassee project.
She gave her time and talents freely to others. For twenty years, she was the creator of a myriad of sets and posters used at "Petite Players," a local theater group for young girls. She was also a member of the Violet Garden Circle and Trinity United Methodist Church. She brought boundless fun and laughter to the people she encountered and left an indelible impression on each one.
Mary was an avid bow hunter and loved to spend her spare time outdoors with family and friends. She could often be found at her sister's farm in Tennessee, reveling in her love of nature whether she was hunting or simply snapping photos of wildlife.
Mary was predeceased by her father and mother, Robert Brown Drake & Mary Leslie Drake Olson.
She is survived by her children, Rebecca Lee Patterson of Tallahassee, FL, Robert Grant Patterson (Christine) of Ormond Beach, FL; and her sister, Leslie Drake Schutt (Peter) of Memphis, TN; as well as nephews, Peter Drake Schutt (Katelin) of Pelham, TN, Robert Paul Schutt and Harrison Knight Schutt of Memphis, TN; and her stepfather, John Scott Olson, Sr. of Tallahassee, FL.
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Annalyn Jane Patterson and Guinevere Marian Patterson of Ormond Beach, FL; as well as her four-legged grandson, Ares (Belgian Malinois) of Tallahassee, FL.
There will be a memorial service at Trinity United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 3rd at 11:00 AM followed by a reception next door at First Presbyterian Church (110 N. Adams St).
Memorial donations may be sent to: Camp Merrie-Woode, 100 Merrie-Woode Road, Sapphire, NC. 28774, or the charity of the donor's choice.
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