Funeral Services for Mrs. Jana Ligon Patterson, age 55 of Ashland, will be held on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at 11:00 A.M. in the Central High School Basketball Gymnasium with Bro. Wade Price and Superintendent Jared Wesley officiating. Burial will follow at the Clay County Memory Gardens.
Mrs. Patterson passed away on Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham. She was born in Anniston, and was a lifelong resident of Clay County. At the age of 14, she worked with Mark and Sandra Bowen at the Lineville Clinic Pharmacy until she graduated from Lineville High School and even through college. She would continue on to Southern Union in Alexander City and onto Auburn University where she would achieve her Bachelor’s Degree in teaching. She began her teaching career with Clay County High School and Lineville High School respectively, but was currently teaching Chemistry and Anatomy at Central High School of Clay County. During her nearly 30 year teaching career, she was affectionately known as “Mrs. P”, “Maw Pat”, and by the wide majority, “JPatt.” She not only advised and consoled, but she made a difference in her student’s lives. She was positive and creative, witty and funny, and cared deeply about her students and friends. Every student was hers and every bit of her being was theirs. It didn’t matter what sport you played or their background; she took every student under her wing, and listened to what was going on in their lives. She wanted you to feel safe, seen and to learn. She wanted you to do your best and to never give up on your dreams. She was a light in a world full of darkness to most of those who knew her. In her spare time, she enjoyed canning, needlepoint, and keeping up with her genealogy on Ancestry.com. According to her husband, she had a passion for raising Puppies, and was planning on raising puppies once she retired. She and her husband, Wendell once traveled to Oregon to obtain two McNabb Shepard’s, and between canceled and prolonged flights, and several states to travel through, their journey was once he will never forget. She followed Auburn Football passionately, and was a loving Wife, Mother, Sister, and friend to all.
She was born to teach and born to love; Born to Hug and born to heal, born to make a difference and born to be a blessing. You didn’t have the highest Grade, but she praised your efforts. You weren’t the loudest, but she heard you. You weren’t out front, but she saw you. You mattered…you mattered genuinely to her.
Mrs. Patterson was survived by her husband of 26 years, Wendell Patterson of Ashland; three sons: Jacob Thomas Patterson and Joshua Trace Patterson, both of Ashland, and Jebidiah Trent Patterson of Auburn; her mother, Catherine Ligon of Barfield; four brothers: Ronald Ligon, Jason Ligon, Cory Ligon, all of Barfield, and Jared Ligon of Mobile; plus a large extended family. She was preceded in death by her father, Johnny Ligon.
Active Pallbearers will be Alan Patterson, Van Mattox, Mike Hanners, Tommy Wood, Chris Lett, and Bill Bowen. Honorary pallbearers will be the Faculty of Central High School of Clay County.
Her visitation will take place on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at Benefield Funeral Home in Ashland from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Flowers are accepted, however the family would also like for Donations to be made to: The Arc of Clay County: 88072 Hey 9, Lineville, AL 36266.
