Dora Fern Pattison

Dora Fern Pattison, 84, of Nowata, passed away on Monday, October 24th, at The Journey Home in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She loved the Lord with all her heart and when she found out her time on earth was coming to a close, her biggest concern was for those she was leaving behind. She would gently look into our eyes and say “Be strong”. Dora was born on July 27, 1938, at home in rural Delaware, to Joseph Isaiah and Opal Florence (Harvey) Hicks. She was the youngest of three children born to Joe and Opal. She grew up in the area and attended Childers School all the way to graduation in 1956. It was there during her first grade year that she met the fellow she would end up marrying. He was in the second grade at the time and when she would look up at him and say “please don’t tag me” as they were enjoying a rousing game of running on the merry-go-round while it was turning, he said “I wouldn’t have tagged her for a dollar!” Dora and Clarence Edward (Eddy) Pattison Jr. were most definitely high school sweethearts and married on October 27, 1956. The newlyweds began their lives together in Nowata, but over the decades, Eddy’s time in the Army and then later in the ministry led them to spend time living in Germany, a variety of Oklahoma towns, time in Kansas City, Illinois, and Texas which included journeys down into Old Mexico in support of missionaries there. As they both enjoyed adventure and change, through all of these moves Dora agreed and cooperated with Eddy, without complaint of all the relocating, as he followed the leading of the Lord in their lives. Once their three children were born, Dora was a stay-at-home mom for many years, sometimes supplementing the family income by providing childcare for other families in her home. Prior to that, she worked in a variety of jobs around Nowata including time at McClellan’s Five and Dime, and the County Treasurer’s office. When returning to the Nowata area in 1980 she worked for several years for the Nowata Daily Star and then managed the Tag Agency for several years. Her most long-standing job was as editor for The Church Advocate and Good Way, a publication of the Church of God (Independent Holiness People). She continued in that effort until her death. Dora and Eddy enjoyed singing together and did so throughout all their years in ministry. She would play the piano and harmonize in her alto voice, with Eddy always singing lead. There were usually requests for a song from them wherever they went. Attending church services, revivals, camp meetings (where many times she was one of the cooks feeding many people delicious meals), and prayer meetings were their passion and their priority. Aside from church work they also enjoyed camping and sight-seeing, especially in the fall. Fall was their favorite time of year, although they could not always agree on when the leaves were “at their peak” – a source of great amusement to their children to this day. Dora is survived by her husband of sixty-six years, Eddy; two sons, Todd Pattison of Norman, OK and Wes (& Connie) Pattison of White Bluff, TN; one daughter, Marsha (& Richard) Wood of Choctaw, OK, a sister, F. Bernice (& Dwight) King of Peoria, IL, five grandchildren, Clay (& Tori) Pattison, Nick (& Nikki) Pattison, Molly Pattison, Alisha (& Kris) Waterhouse, Andrea Wood, great-grandson, Hudson Edward Pattison and many nieces and nephews and a host of friends and loved ones that seemed like family. Dora is preceded in death by both of her parents, Joe and Opal Hicks, her brother, Joe Junior Hicks and great-grandson, Preston Edward Pattison. Dora was a woman who loved God and her family and brought a ready smile to all with whom she came in contact. She is already greatly missed, and we look forward to reuniting with her in heaven someday. Dora’s family will receive friends on Tuesday, from 1-2 p.m. at the Davis Family Funeral Home & Crematory – Walker Brown Chapel, 918-333-7665, 4201 Nowata Rd, Bartlesville. Visitation will also be held on Monday from 10-8 and Tuesday 9-2. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to The Journey Home, 900 NE Washington Blvd., Bartlesville, OK 74006. Services will be held on Tuesday, 2 p.m., at the Davis Family Funeral Home & Crematory – Walker Brown Chapel, with Bro. Wes Pattison officiating. Interment will follow in the Martin Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and the Davis Family Funeral Home & Crematory – Walker Brown Chapel. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com.

Dora Fern Pattison

July 27, 1938 - October 24, 2022