Glenda Darlene (Rea) Patton

Glenda Darlene (Rea) Patton - age 85, of Gallatin, MO passed away Sunday morning, December 20th,2020 at Daviess County Nursing and Rehab in Gallatin. Glenda was born at home in East Alton, Ill, on February 4th, 1935, the oldest child of Glen and Juanita (Haws) Rea.  In 1945, the family settled in San Diego, CA. Darlene was active in high school activities where she wrote for the weekly newspaper and was a member of marching band. She graduated from Hoover High School at the age of 16 in the “top ten” of a class of 523 students.  She planned to attend San Diego State College and teach history in high school, but in 1950, she met a young Marine, Doyle M. Patton, from St. Joseph, MO.  A few months later, Doyle (or Pat, as she always called him) was sent to war in Korea.  When he returned, they were married at Darlene’s Church (Fairmount Baptist) in San Diego, on April 21st, 1951. They were married 58 years when Pat passed away May 24th, 2009.

Because Pat was a career Marine, through the years, they lived in San Diego and Camp Pendleton (in California), Camp Lejeune, NC, two different times in Maryland, Virginia, Key West, Florida, Hawaii, and the Philippines. During these years, four sons arrived between August 1952 and June 1963 on four different bases.  Darlene and the boys went everywhere Pat was stationed except for Korea and Viet Nam.  Darlene enjoyed every place Pat was stationed and made sure that the family learned the history of each place that became “home” and to make friends with neighbors and learn the culture of the “overseas” friends.  Over the years, Darlene was able to take business courses and enjoyed her jobs at Sears Credit Office and Credit Unions.  After Pat retired from active duty, the family went back to San Diego to own and manage their bookkeeping business and planned to “never move again”.

In 1978, they decided to move to Gallatin to be close to Pat’s elderly parents since he was their only child. His father lived in Gallatin and his mother and grandmother lived in St. Joseph.  By 1993 all of them had passed away.  By that time Pat and Darlene were “at home” in Gallatin.

Darlene and Pat loved to travel. They spent time in Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, England, several areas in Mexico, Aruba, Panama, Costa Rica, several areas in Canada, took cruises to Alaska and through the Panama Canal and had been to 48 of the 50 states (for some reason they were never in Washington State or Maine).  Darlene was an avid reader and had quite a library of her own and enjoyed music (classical, “oldies”, and rock & roll) and musical productions. She bowled for years and loved to knit, before her arthritis “took over”.  She enjoyed spending time with her children, grand and great-grands (that live all over the country), flying off to visit family members and keeping in touch with so many great friends from all over the world.  She was a volunteer for years on military bases and was a “mentor” for young wives during the Viet Nam time, belonged to Military Wives (in the Philippines she was the first president on the Naval Base with a Marine husband), participated with fundraisers for scholarships for Filipino children from the small village near the base, was a Cub Scout Den Mother, chaperone for teen cubs, PTA officer, score keeper for Little Leagues. In later years, in Gallatin, she delivered Meals on Wheels.  She also was a member of the Daviess County Business Women and was president a few times, a life member of VFW #2172 Ladies Auxiliary and was secretary for 25 years plus other offices over time.  She was treasurer of VFW District #1 Auxiliary for several years and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Gallatin. 

Darlene always said that she and Doyle had planned to have two boys and two girls, but God sent four sons, so their wives became the four daughters! She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Doyle; sons, Michael and Craig; brother, Richard; great-grandson, Gavin. Survivors include: sons, Steve (Alice) Patton of Gallatin, Kelly (Susan) Patton of Comanche, OK; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; aunt, Donna Haws Davenport of Cape Girardeau, MO; two nieces, 1 nephew and their families and friends “everywhere”.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to VFW Auxiliary #2172, Active Aging Resource Center, First Baptist Church of Gallatin, or a charity of the donor's choice in care of the funeral home. Funeral Service: 2 PM, Wednesday, December 30th, 2020, Stith Funeral Home, Gallatin. Visitation: 1-hr. prior to service at the funeral home.  Friends may call after 9 AM, Wednesday at the funeral home. Cremation will follow the services with scattering at sea.  Arrangements entrusted to the care and direction of Stith Funeral Home, Gallatin. (660) 663- 2117. Online guestbook at www.stithfamilyfunerals.com

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