Dorothy Ellen Maddox Patchell

Dorothy Ellen Maddox Patchell peacefully passed away at home on Sunday April 30, 2017. Dorothy and her late husband, Earl Leon Patchell were long time residents of the Chinook farming community. A viewing and memorial service was held in Eagle, Idaho Wednesday May 3rd and a grave-side service and grave dedication was held at the El Toro Memorial Cemetery in Lake Forest, California Sunday, May 7th. Music and memories of Dorothy were shared by many friends and family members at both services. At the memorial service in Idaho, Glenn and Sue sang their mother's favorite song, Only a Rose, and Sue closed the service with a beautiful rendition of The Lord's Prayer. Dorothy was born in Mount Vernon, Arkansas October 27, 1917, she lived ninety-nine and a half years wonderful years of service and dedication to her family, community, and church. A devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormon Church, she gave many years of service through the church and the Relief Society. She was the daughter of Delia Fielding and S.C. Maddox long time farmers and ranchers in the Milk River valley. She and her husband met and married in Rosebud, Arkansas where her three children were born: Glenn Fielding Patchell (wife Bonnie Rae Boe), Rebecca Ann Patchell, and Ellen Sue Patchell Hamilton (husband Brett Hamilton). The family moved to the Chinook area in 1940 for job opportunities in the Utah and Idaho Sugar factory. Soon they were farmers raising sugar beets. After the sugar beet industry began to wane, Dorothy and Leon turned to dairy farming. After retirement from farming, they moved to Tustin, California where Dorothy became a long time manager of a large apartment complex. She continued her work well into her seventies; after retirement, Dorothy then moved to Idaho where she lived with her daughter and son-in-law Sue and Brett Hamilton in Eagle, Idaho. Living in Idaho allowed Dorothy to enjoy her extended family living there. Her three grandchildren Craig Jay Patchell (wife Roxanne Danner), Kari Patchell Goodman (husband Mike Goodman) and Shawn Earl Patchell (wife Davis Viger) saw her extended family grow to thirteen great grandchildren, and six great, great, grandchildren. The five generations of family were the joy of Dorothy's life.

Dorothy was a talented, hardworking woman. She told her daughter-in-law, Bonnie Patchell that she knew that her body was wearing out, but she hoped she would always have her mind. She certainly did. She loved to read, do crossword and jigsaw puzzles, travel (especially to Europe to hear Sue sing in various operas), and visit all the cultural and historical sites throughout Europe. Dorothy was a master seamstress and did amazing handiwork. She made exquisite Christmas stockings of elaborate design for many of her grandchildren and other family members; they are a marvel of craftsmanship. She also knitted slippers for all, especially for newly born children in the family. Although her hands were crippled with arthritis and her sight and hearing were failing, she still managed to continue her hand work using an intensity light and magnifying glass to finish the last stockings for her great, great, grandchildren. Her patience and diligence and single minded pursuit of her goal, was also evident in the love and dedication she had for her family.

The one single tragedy in Dorothy's life was the death of her daughter Rebecca Ann who died of Polio just short of her fourth birthday. Her disease was the only case of polio reported in Montana. Dorothy also was preceded in death by her husband Earl Leon Patchell, her older sister, Lorene Maddox Blatter, and her younger brother Wesley C. Maddox. Her younger sister Dixie Maddox Stephens resides in Pasco, Washington, and her sister-in-law, Fontella Blatter Maddox living in Chinook.

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