Obituary - Tillie S. Patterson

Tillie S. Patterson, 102, died of natural causes on Feb. 13, 2016, at her home in Havre, Montana. Cremation has taken place, and per Tillie's wishes, no funeral services will be held.  

Final interment will be at a later date with family and friends. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. Please visit Tillie's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her friends and family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

Tillie was born Dec. 22, 1913, to Walburgia (Klatzel) and William J. Schmockel in Havre, Montana. After graduating from Havre High School, she went to work at the Rainbow General Store. A team of professional skiers came through Havre, and because she was such a good skier, she was asked to join them. After careful consideration she decided to pass.

She married Robert A. Patterson on Feb. 10, 1940, in Havre, Montana. After getting married, they started their own store, Patterson's, which specialized in ladies ready-to-wear and western wear, and because Robert did not have a lot of confidence in ready-to-wear, a supply of hardware tools in the back of the store. They later purchased Marguerite's, and the two stores kept them very busy. Tillie enjoyed the political life in Helena when Robert was elected to the House of Representatives and remained very up on the elections until her death.

After Robert's passing, she kept busy with Marguerite's until 1998. She loved going on buying trips for the store three to four times a year, and in the winters she loved Palm Springs and Las Vegas. She also spent many years with her friends going to Julio Iglesias concerts, even to Europe. She traveled all over the world, enjoying every minute of it and sharing her experiences with all who listened. When at home, she loved gardening and her stores.  

She was a member of Soroptomist Club, Northern Montana Hospital Auxiliary and Montana Chamber of Commerce. She is also responsible for establishing Robert Patterson Memorial Park, which is enjoyed by many. She set up a fund to keep the flags flying in the park on 1st Street and furnished and carpeted the Disaster Preparedness Room in the basement of City Hall and helped various charities throughout Havre through the years.

A letter from a friend says:

Tillie Patterson was a good friend to me. She was also an iconic businesswoman, working through the years with a clear view to success. Tillie lived in, and loved, her hometown of Havre, Montana. She would often say, "Havre has been good to me." She whole-heartedly gave back in-kind, with great generosity to that town.

Those of us who were friends with Tillie knew her to be shy but not sad. Cheerful and gracious, she also had a wry sense of humor, along with a clear view to planning her life and her businesses. Tillie was an example to follow, benefiting her friends with her wisdom and the lessons of her life experiences.

A true Montana centenarian, Tillie loved Montana history, sometimes sharing fun stories from across the arc of her lifetime. I once made her a gift of a blank journal, there were so many stories, I hoped she would have written some of them down. Maybe she did.

Tillie valued her privacy, although when a friend reached out, she was ready and willing to make lunch or travel or just visiting plans. She was fun to be with, her friendship was true and even. She was the best listener I ever knew. I shall miss her. Goodbye, Dear Friend.

Linda Shortell McKay

And to all who had the pleasure of working for Tillie: Sell, Sell, Sell.

Tillie is survived by her niece, Mary Conner, of Danville, Virginia;

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert A. Patterson; her brother, William Schmockel; and her mother, Walburgia (Wallie) Schmockel