Pearl Patten

After living a full life where she touched many people’s lives, Minnie Pearl Sedgwick Palmer Patten left this world on Friday, January 29, 2021, surrounded by loved ones.  Pearl was at the Decatur Medical Lodge in Decatur, Texas, where she resided for the past four years.

Minnie Pearl Sedgwick was born on January 4, 1930, at Matador, Texas, to Arthur and Katherine Cludie Sedgwick.  She was raised in the community of Duncan Flat in Dickens County with many cousins and friends during the Great Depression where she learned to lend a helping hand and be a part of a big family. She accepted the Lord at an early age and loved him with all her heart, teaching her children to love Him as well. Pearl’s legacy was built on offering a helping hand, cooking a meal, sitting with the sick, or driving someone to Lubbock for groceries or the doctor.  In her many careers, Pearl ran the Roaring Springs Café, the grain elevator, the farm, and the house--where she and the love of her life Bill Palmer raised nine children in the original yours, mine and ours setting.  Pearl served on the Roaring Springs City Council and the Motley County School Board. She was a vital part of the community of Roaring Springs which she loved with all her heart, helping establish the Roaring Springs Community Volunteers and the Roaring Springs Community Center.  Pearl loved to cook for anyone and everyone who was hungry or just wanted to eat.  She was well known throughout the area for her Friday night All You Can Eat Catfish, Mexican Food or Chicken Fried Steak dinners. She will be sorely missed at family and community gatherings and holidays where she was the life of the party.

Pearl is survived by daughter Veda Lou (Jerry) Hunt of Midland, Texas, JoAnn (Jim) Charles of Devils Lake, North Dakota, Willita Lois (Larry) Burkes of Paducah, Texas, Clarence Dudley (Mary) Allen of Madison, Missouri, Tommy Lee (Nancy) Palmer of Lubbock, Texas, James Grant “Buddy” (Linda) Allen of Pampa, Texas, Becky Jewkes of Kemah, Texas, Linda Lynette (Arnold) Parker of Aurora, Texas. Twenty-two grandchildren and fifty-one great grandchildren, and five great-great grandchildren as well as a host of extended family and many, many friends.

She was preceded in death by the love of her life C.W. (Bill) Palmer in May 1981, a daughter Barbara Ann in 1947, a son Will Palmer in 2013, grandson Craig McCauley, great- grandson James Wade Browning, and her husband and companion of more than 20 years, Harry Patten.

The family would like to thank the staff of Decatur Medical Lodge for their love and attention to our mom Pearl. Also, a very special “We Love You” to Linda and Arnold Parker, Tara and Duane Allred, Erica and Scott Warner, and Lisa and Hayden Roderick for their love and devotion to Mom and Grandma over the past seven years.

Services will be held on Monday, February 1, 2021, at 2 pm at the First Baptist Church of Roaring Springs, Texas, in Roaring Springs, Texas. Visitation with the family will be at 1 pm at the church. Graveside services will follow at Afton, Texas, at the Afton Cemetery.

Grandsons will serve a pallbearers.