Miriam Venetta Patterson Littlejohn: RIP Darling

Jan. 6, 1921 — Dec. 1, 2005

“Dignity” “Style” “Elegant”

“Sweet” “Gracious” “Charming”

“Classy ...”

. . .These are all words used by friends and loved ones when asked to describe this statuesque matriarch of the Patterson clan. Born 84 years ago to Marshall and Thelma Patterson, this woman, the 6th of 10 other lively sibling spirits has always stood out in a crowd.

Miriam was raised and educated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and won a wide array of friends; as an adult she spread her circle of influence to include not only family members and friends, but business collegues, fraternal organizations, social clubs, and of course, her Church, and its choirs, boards, and auxiliaries.

She was married to and then widowed by the late Luther Littlejohn after almost 30 years of marriage. And, although she was technically 'childless', anyone who had the opportunity to experience the flurry of activity (days of cooking, shopping, rearranging furniture, and cleaning an already *immaculate* house) that surrounded her frequent pronouncement, “Oh, this has *got* to get done; “The Children” are coming!”, well, you know that Miriam was "Mother" and mother-figure to a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and play daughters; and as such, Miriam inspired an entire *generation* of Pattersons to love cars (and drive them fast!); to aspire to do *all* things well (and make certain everything is well *coordinated!*); and most importantly, to help others, even when they don't ask for aid. Miriam's vitality has lent spirit and strength to many a person in need, and as expressed by one admiring relative, “she could always brighten your day with her smile.”

This was a woman who could say, "Hey, baby!" to a room full of “The Children”, and each one would feel as though that greeting was "just for me"; and such was the warmth coming from her that each one would feel as though he or she was the most cherished, special creature to ever grace the universe! You just felt blessed!

Miriam lived her life; she didn't wait for life to happen to her: as my Aunt Fay said, "Miriam did everything she wanted to do in life; she got everything she wanted to have from life."
And I believe that Miriam *gave* everything she wanted as well--and many of us in here today can attest to that personally. We read in James that "faith without works is dead". Miriam made her faith real by the work she did. She transformed acts of duty and obligation into acts of worship and reverence. She gave unflinchingly of herself: she made a deposit in us with her gifts, her talents, her time, her kind words, her love; and we are all the richer for it, for this is how God works!

As I moved around the church during the family visitation hours, I saw the beautiful cycle of life: Miriam's body lay before us in the casket; she's gone on. But I saw a part of Miriam's *spirit* reflected in each of the several generations of “Children” who'd gathered to honor her life....and it was Glorious, because nothing ever really dies! I am Avis, daughter of Beatrice and Leon, but I am also one of Miriam's “Children”; and I will make sure that she'll live on in me.

"One of the deep secrets of life is that
all that is really worth
the doing is what we do for others;
So let the work I've done speak for me." -- Miriam Littlejohn