PATTERSON, Esther
Born September 25, 1927, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Esther Patterson passed away surrounded by loved ones in her Fair Oaks home at age 86 on January 29, 2014.
She was predeceased by her parents, Kurt and Herta Roepke, her three husbands: her children's father, Joseph Mueller Jr., Reverend Loren R. Buelow, and Tom Patterson; and by her grandson, Peter Joseph Inzerillo.
Esther is survived by daughter, Joi Maynard (Dennis), son, Mark Mueller, son, Clark Mueller (Jeanette), and daughter Jocelyn Dacre (John), four stepdaughters, and one stepson. She is also survived by six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren; three sisters: Eva Anderson (Ben), Marilyn Stangohr (Bill), Karen McCarthy (Joe), and numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and friends.
Esther graduated from Washington High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was trained as a typist/stenographer; and, worked as the executive secretary to the owner of Fry's Food Stores, Phoenix, Arizona. During her marriage to Reverend Buelow, she performed the duties of a Pastor's wife with great enthusiasm and joy.
A lover of music her entire life, Esther played the piano and organ and sang alto in her church choirs in Milwaukee, Phoenix, Sacramento, Rialto, and Seal Beach; and regularly attended Sacramento Symphony performances. She loved to travel, visiting Germany, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, and many other US states. Her hobbies included tennis, gardening, and dining. Most of all she loved spending time with her family, especially in Graeagle, California.
Whether we called her Mom, Mutti, Mommie, Grandma, Grammie, Auntie, Essie, or Esther, we will all remember her smile, her laughter, and her love.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church, (Wells Chapel) 11427 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks, CA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dignity Health Mercy Hospice, or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in her memory.
Published in The Sacramento Bee on Feb. 16, 2014