PATRICIA “PAT” ANN PETTUS STRATTON,
age 84, passed away peacefully September 1, 2021, after a short illness. She was surrounded by her children, her priest and the chaplain. Pat was born October 12, 1936, to Houston and Stella Pettus in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she lived her early childhood in the Hillcrest neighborhood before moving to Pine Bluff. She graduated from Pine Bluff High School. Her last years she returned to Hillcrest. Pat lived a very active life. She was an avid tennis player well into her 50’s winning many tournaments. She was a Chi Omega. She attended The W and Auburn University. She spent many years on her education with her fondest memories at UAPB.
As she gracefully aged, Pat loved being outside and taking daily walks, photographing sights and visiting with neighbors.She loved sharing the beautiful photos from these walks with her family. She found great joy in photographing small flowers to the giant trees. She was delighted that she had returned to her beloved Hillcrest neighborhood. All through her life she loved participating in Bible studies and spent many hours each day studying the Bible. She had a way with the written word and being able to express beautiful stories of her life on the Delta, about Hillcrest, raising children and life in between. Many of her writings were in the form of children’s books, about raising her five daughters on Fairfield Farm in the Arkansas Delta.
Pat is survived by her sister, Susan McElmurry (Max), her five daughters and their husbands, Kellie Coleman (James), Barrett Bonds (David), Tay Stratton and Tom Dwyer, Tasha Stratton and Don Dugan, Saige Stocker (Jon); grandchildren, Andrew Bonds, Daniel Bonds, Skye Horvath (Alex), Ronan Dugan, Finn Dugan, Kaden Stocker, and Sakoa Stocker; plus her great-grandchild, Arto Horvath and her many nephews and nieces that she loved dearly and prayed for daily. To quote Pat: “Lord God protect, guard and guide all my daughters and their families. Give them each a heart on fire for your son, our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Have them seek you with all their heart, soul, mind and body. To glorify you, to praise and to thank you; you of whom nothing is impossible.
Thank you, Lord God, for all the miscellaneous things you have done in my life. Guide, guard and protect me. Giving wisdom, strength, healing, love, kindness and service to others, especially those whom I live with and around. Guide and protect all my grandchildren, those on the way and those to come.
Please join us in celebrating her life at a gathering of friends and family at Dugan’s Pub on Saturday, Sept. 4, from 2-4. Her service will be announced at a later date. Donations may be made to her beloved church St Andrews Cathedral Little Rock, Ark.