Katherine Riley Patrick | Obituaries

Katherine Riley Patrick, 94, of Laurel, born April 5, 1929, passed away Dec. 14, 2023. She graduated from Laurel High School and attended Ole Miss as a pre-med student, where she met her future husband A.W. “Pat” Patrick. Married in December 1947, they later opened Patrick’s Pharmacy together in Laurel. 

Katherine was active in church work, whether at Kingston United Methodist or First United Methodist in Laurel, which she attended later in life. Not only did she work beside Pat at the drugstore, they also gardened together until Pat was 80 years old, regularly canning and freezing tomatoes, butter beans, homemade pickles, corn and okra. She also spent hours working in her flower gardens. She was an excellent cook in addition to being a great baker, making wedding cakes for several family members. 

After closing Patrick’s Pharmacy, Katherine and Pat attended JCJC at night, where Katherine took painting classes, while Pat enrolled in courses in pottery and art history. Known to her family as “Kitty,” she continued painting well into her 70s. They purchased a travel trailer and enjoyed vacationing and visiting family. She enjoyed keeping her grandsons before and after school and watching them play baseball from t-ball through high school. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Edgar and Lucille Riley; her sisters Dorothy Jean Riley and Carolyn Riley Brent; special family friend Amorita “Doodle” Gordon; and her husband of more than 60 years Pat Patrick. 

She is survived by her sister Betty Riley of Laurel; her daughter Cecelia Luter (Jay) of Laurel; her son Don Patrick (Irene) of Apex, N.C.; three grandchildren, Chris Luter (Rebecca) of Germantown, Tenn., Scott Luter (Laura) of Indianapolis and Matthew Luter of Jackson; and five great-grandchildren, Emily Luter, Nicholas Luter, Elizabeth Luter, Elliot Gellin-Luter and Natalie Gellin-Luter. 

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. at Memory Chapel on Tuesday, Dec. 19, with the funeral service Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Laurel First United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Hickory Grove Cemetery. Rev. Daniel Hathorne will officiate.

Pallbearers will be Jay Luter, Chris Luter, Scott Luter, Matthew Luter, Emily Luter and Nicholas Luter. Honorary pallbearers will be Don Patrick and Elizabeth Luter.

To sign the online guestbook, visit: www.memorychapellaurel.com.

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