Obituary for Alice Charlotte Patton (Sterns)
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ALICE CHARLOTTE STERNS PATTON
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far higher than rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely rest in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Strength and honour are her clothing: and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth, with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all.
----- Proverbs, excerpted from Chapter 31, Verses 10-29
Alice, of Upper St. Clair, passed into heavenly rest on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. She, was the daughter of the late Harold Winthrop Sterns and Charlotte Eulalia Leach Sterns of Maplewood, New Jersey, wife of Richard E. Patton, mother of Raymond Patton (Melanie) of Vancouver, Washington, Marcia Patton Gilton (Michael) of Dublin, Ohio, and Eric Patton (Sandra) of Bridgeville, grandmother of Benjamin (Sarah), Samuel, Stephanie, and Joseph Gilton and Rebecca, Andrew, and Richard B. Patton.
Born in Neptune Township, New Jersey in 1932, Allice attended nursery and public schools in Newark and Glen Ridge, New Jersey, and graduated from Montclair State Teachers College in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She taught English in Bloomfield, New Jersey, Senior High School, and later joined J. P. Stevens & Co., a major textile house, in New York City until her marriage.
Music filled her life. Alice studied violin, piano, and organ privately for many years. She served as organist and choir director for over 50 years for several churches in New Jersey and, later, in Pittsburgh’s South Hills, including Carnegie United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Carnegie, and Mt. Lebanon Christian Church. In addition, she substituted in a number of other local churches, including among them Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Christ United Methodist Church, and Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church. It was inspiring to watch her play, direct the choir, and sing simultaneously. She was highly skilled at integrating her music with the pastors’ sermon topics or the lectionary, and she developed extensive computer files enabling her to match organ music, anthems, and hymns with sermon topics and scripture. Alice was a longstanding member of the American Guild of Organists. She was frequently complimented on her playing and directing, and many people told her that her enthusiastic style of playing made people want to sing. One soloist called her the “Queen of Diction.” She taught her children and some of her grandchildren music fundamentals, and her children were active band participants through high school and college. She occasionally accompanied them at Sunday school services as they soloed on their instruments.
Alice was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park. She was active in the Chancel Choir, served as director of the first and second grade Carol Choir, developed a specialized tape ministry, participated in the United Methodist Women’s Organization, and served several years as book buyer for a Church sponsored children’s reading program for Pittsburgh inner-city schools. She was active for several years with the Friends of Upper St. Clair Library, serving two terms as President. She volunteered at St. Clair Hospital from 1996 until the 2020 Covid pandemic, serving at the First Floor Information Desk. She was also an active member of the St. Clair Hospital Auxiliary, serving for three years, as President. She was involved in several other functions there, including editor of the Auxiliary newsletter for 14 years, editor of the St. Clair Hospital Auxiliary Cookbook, Scholarship Committee Chairman, and buyer of infant and children’s clothing for the Hospital’s Gift Shop. She accumulated over 11,000 hours of service to the Hospital, and, together with her husband, supported the Hospital’s Foundation.. In addition, she served as a volunteer at Pittsburgh Vision Services n Bridgeville for nine years until their relocation to Homestead in 2005.
Alice loved to cook and bake and was an avid recipe and cookbook collector. In early 1982, Alice wrote a letter to the Pittsburgh Press about special recipes for restricted diets. This prompted a phone call from Food Editor Marilyn McDevitt Rubin. Their conversation led to a visit from Ms. Rubin and a feature article and photograph in the March 10 issue of the Press entitled, “These Rate A ‘Super’ In Her Filing System.” Alice showed Ms. Rubin her recipe collection and how she graded each recipe based on the family’s taste testing. Ms. Rubin persuaded Alice to share four of her “Super” recipes, and these also appeared in the article. Alice frequently treated her family to new recipes for dinner. Birthday cakes and cookies were a specialty, and her Great Scots cookies were a family favorite.
She was an avid photographer with a keen eye for composition and exposures. She produced slide shows of New England vacations and filled many albums with family, vacation, and other photos.
Richard’s genealogical research led to her acceptance in the Daughters of the American Revolution, with two Revolutionary War ancestors from Connecticut.
Her family frequently sought Alice’s sound advice and wise counsel, and she was often referred to as “Dr. Mom.”
Arrangements by BEINHAUERS. Friends will be received at 2828 Washington Road (U.S. Route 19), McMurray, PA 15317, 724-941-3211, on Thurs., Dec. 1 from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Private interment at Woodruff Memorial Park, North Strabane Township, Pennsylvania. Funeral Service on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at 2 p.m. in Christ United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Alice’s memory to the St. Clair Health Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association. To add and view tributes, please visit www.beinhauer.com.
ALICE CHARLOTTE STERNS PATTON
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far higher than rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely rest in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. Strength and honour are her clothing: and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth, with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all.
----- Proverbs, excerpted from Chapter 31, Verses 10-29
Alice, of Upper St. Clair, passed into heavenly rest on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. She, was the daughter of the late Harold Winthrop Sterns and Charlotte Eulalia Leach Sterns of Maplewood, New Jersey, wife of Richard E. Patton, mother of Raymond Patton (Melanie) of Vancouver, Washington, Marcia Patton Gilton (Michael) of Dublin, Ohio, and Eric Patton (Sandra) of Bridgeville, grandmother of Benjamin (Sarah), Samuel, Stephanie, and Joseph Gilton and Rebecca, Andrew, and Richard B. Patton.
Born in Neptune Township, New Jersey in 1932, Allice attended nursery and public schools in Newark and Glen Ridge, New Jersey, and graduated from Montclair State Teachers College in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She taught English in Bloomfield, New Jersey, Senior High School, and later joined J. P. Stevens & Co., a major textile house, in New York City until her marriage.
Music filled her life. Alice studied violin, piano, and organ privately for many years. She served as organist and choir director for over 50 years for several churches in New Jersey and, later, in Pittsburgh’s South Hills, including Carnegie United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Carnegie, and Mt. Lebanon Christian Church. In addition, she substituted in a number of other local churches, including among them Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Christ United Methodist Church, and Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church. It was inspiring to watch her play, direct the choir, and sing simultaneously. She was highly skilled at integrating her music with the pastors’ sermon topics or the lectionary, and she developed extensive computer files enabling her to match organ music, anthems, and hymns with sermon topics and scripture. Alice was a longstanding member of the American Guild of Organists. She was frequently complimented on her playing and directing, and many people told her that her enthusiastic style of playing made people want to sing. One soloist called her the “Queen of Diction.” She taught her children and some of her grandchildren music fundamentals, and her children were active band participants through high school and college. She occasionally accompanied them at Sunday school services as they soloed on their instruments.
Alice was a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park. She was active in the Chancel Choir, served as director of the first and second grade Carol Choir, developed a specialized tape ministry, participated in the United Methodist Women’s Organization, and served several years as book buyer for a Church sponsored children’s reading program for Pittsburgh inner-city schools. She was active for several years with the Friends of Upper St. Clair Library, serving two terms as President. She volunteered at St. Clair Hospital from 1996 until the 2020 Covid pandemic, serving at the First Floor Information Desk. She was also an active member of the St. Clair Hospital Auxiliary, serving for three years, as President. She was involved in several other functions there, including editor of the Auxiliary newsletter for 14 years, editor of the St. Clair Hospital Auxiliary Cookbook, Scholarship Committee Chairman, and buyer of infant and children’s clothing for the Hospital’s Gift Shop. She accumulated over 11,000 hours of service to the Hospital, and, together with her husband, supported the Hospital’s Foundation.. In addition, she served as a volunteer at Pittsburgh Vision Services n Bridgeville for nine years until their relocation to Homestead in 2005.
Alice loved to cook and bake and was an avid recipe and cookbook collector. In early 1982, Alice wrote a letter to the Pittsburgh Press about special recipes for restricted diets. This prompted a phone call from Food Editor Marilyn McDevitt Rubin. Their conversation led to a visit from Ms. Rubin and a feature article and photograph in the March 10 issue of the Press entitled, “These Rate A ‘Super’ In Her Filing System.” Alice showed Ms. Rubin her recipe collection and how she graded each recipe based on the family’s taste testing. Ms. Rubin persuaded Alice to share four of her “Super” recipes, and these also appeared in the article. Alice frequently treated her family to new recipes for dinner. Birthday cakes and cookies were a specialty, and her Great Scots cookies were a family favorite.
She was an avid photographer with a keen eye for composition and exposures. She produced slide shows of New England vacations and filled many albums with family, vacation, and other photos.
Richard’s genealogical research led to her acceptance in the Daughters of the American Revolution, with two Revolutionary War ancestors from Connecticut.
Her family frequently sought Alice’s sound advice and wise counsel, and she was often referred to as “Dr. Mom.”
Arrangements by BEINHAUERS. Friends will be received at 2828 Washington Road (U.S. Route 19), McMurray, PA 15317, 724-941-3211, on Thurs., Dec. 1 from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Private interment at Woodruff Memorial Park, North Strabane Township, Pennsylvania. Funeral Service on Saturday, December 10, 2022, at 2 p.m. in Christ United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Alice’s memory to the St. Clair Health Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association. To add and view tributes, please visit www.beinhauer.com.