Myra Patterson

Myra Eleanor Hedge Patterson was born October 30, 1957 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and passed from this life on September 22, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. Myra was born to parents Roy and Eleanor, who lived in the small town of South Pittsburgh, Tennessee, nestled in the Sequatchie Valley. Myra spent her childhood in both Tennessee and New Mexico. While she lived most of her life in Tennessee, she always loved New Mexico and dreamed of retiring to Albuquerque one day. She moved to Nashville in the mid 1960’s with her family. She loved telling stories of the time spent at the early homes before they settled into the house, we all came to grow up in. Those that come to mind were about their house which is now at the bottom of Percy Priest Lake, and the house on Wimpole, where we heard many stories of flooding from nearby Mill Creek, sending snakes into the yard and sometimes the house. They eventually moved to Glencliff Road, where they would stay for six decades. There, she lived with her parents, aunt, and her grandmother. She attended Glencliff and McGavock High Schools in Nashville. Myra worked for many areas of the Nashville Metropolitan government, including Metro Water, Internal Audit, and the Metro Nashville Police Department. She also loved her time with McKesson Specialty Health and as a State of Tennessee employee, before retiring due to health concerns. Those who have worked with her will likely stop and tell you their ‘Myra Story’ and it usually ends in a good laugh. She was known as the woman who ‘gets things done’ and was often the go-to for all who knew her. One of the things Myra was most well-known for was her ability to cook. She often prepared meals ranging from traditional pasta dishes from her mother’s Italian heritage to southern dishes learned from her dad’s family in rural Tennessee. No matter what she made, it was always good and left you uncomfortably full. She could cook almost anything, except fresh turnip greens. She never lived down the terrible Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent incident and laughed about it for many years after. She never made fresh turnip greens ever again. Myra was an animal lover. She took in many strays over the years and at times had many pets, mostly cats. In fact, most of the time she preferred cats to any human relationship. You could tell your place in her life by how she ranked you as compared to any one of the cats, and might hear the phrase, “you’re not the cat.” There were few people that ranked above the cat. Myra’s biggest self -proclaimed accomplishments were her two children, Laurisa and Michael Roy. She would tell anyone who gave her even a second to listen how proud she was of each of us. She cheered us on through college, marriages, and children of our own. She called us often to talk through the mysteries of life, debate a current event, discuss a new scientific finding, and wander through ancient history. Myra joins her parents, Roy and Eleanor Hedge, her aunt Deborah Wheeler, and many loved ones before her in Heaven. She is survived by Laurisa (Gene) Spears, Michael Roy (Angela) Poteete, grandchildren, Natalie, Ashley, and Zachary Spears, Emily, Chloe, Isaiah, Gavin, Nolan, and Aliana Poteete, other family, and many friends. A Celebration of Life will be held October 28, 2023 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Phillips-Robinson Funeral Home.

Myra Patterson

October 30, 1957 - September 22, 2023