Obituary

Leora June Hagedorn was born on June 13, 1932, in her family home, which was located amongst the rolling wheatfields of the Palouse between Moscow and Pullman. Her parents were Herman E. Hagedorn and Leta G. Smith Hagedorn. She joined her older sister, Dorothy, and adult siblings Pearl and George.

Being blessed to have two musically talented parents; her father who played the violin and mandolin and mother who played the piano, Leora was also blessed with many musical talents. She began playing the violin at around the age of 3 or 4 and there is a picture of Leora with her tiny violin, and an article about her in the local paper when she was five years old. She and her family were members of the Moscow Church of the Nazarene, where there were many opportunities for a young musician to develop her skills and love for serving the Lord through music. Leora was also blessed to grow up with many Hagedorn Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins who lived on almost adjoining farms, and were also musical as well.

When Leora was 11 years old, her family moved to Pasadena, California for two years, because her father needed a warmer, drier climate. They made many friends there as well in their Nazarene Church. At the age of 13, her family moved to Lewiston, Idaho where Leora graduated from High School in 1951. While she was in high school, Leora played the clarinet in the band and had fond memories of the band trip to Banff, B.C. She also began playing the marimba, and was self-taught. She played the Marimba beautifully and was able to use four mallets at one time. She also took it with her to Spring Creek Care Center when she moved there where she would play the piano or the marimba for the residents there, much to their enjoyment. It was at the Lewiston Church of the Nazarene that Leora met Garland Patterson, and they were married on Feb. 15, 1951. The newlyweds lived in Lewiston for one year, and then they moved to the family farm where Garland took over the farming responsibilities. Leora continued to play violin in both the community and the church orchestras.

The following 18 years at the farm were busy ones. Four children were born to Garland and Leora: Roger Wayne in 1953, Shelley Kay in 1955, Muriel Collen in 1958 and Lyle Dean in 1961. Garland also started a wrecking yard, parts, and towing business, called ‘Inland Wreckers’. Leora managed this business and became very proficient in knowing what cars were in the vard and how to use the huge, parts interchange books. In the late 1950’s, Garland and Leora began attending the Pullman Church of the Nazarene, where, as usual, Leora was busy playing the piano and organ, ( the Hammond B-3, of course), and was always encouraging others to develop and use their talents in groups or as a soloist, to honor and praise God. She also gave a few piano and violin lessons, whenever possible.

In the summer of 1970, the Patterson family moved to Bellingham so that Garland could work for Mt. Baker Motors as a car salesman. There was also a large extended Patterson family in Whatcom County, who enriched their lives.

Garland, Leora, and the children quickly became involved in the Lynden Church of the Nazarene and also Ferndale Holiness Camp. They also attended the Ferndale and Bellingham Churches of the Nazarene, the Laurel Baptist Church, and Northwest Baptist Church. In 1971, Leora was told about an opportunity to give piano lessons to the children at the Meridian Grade School. She was thrilled with the opportunity to be able to give piano lessons to so many children, sometimes as many as 65 per week. Over the many, many years that she was able to give lessons there, she touched and enriched the lives of hundreds of children. After the opportunity to teach at Meridian School ended, she continued teaching piano, violin, and viola by traveling to the homes of her students or giving lessons in her own home. She continued this until about 8 or 9 yrs. ago. But alas, even when Leora needed to move into Spring Creek Retirement Center, even Dementia couldn’t stop her from sharing her musical ability with others. She would often play hymns on the piano and or marimba up until this last year when she was living at Silverado Memory Care. She lived a full enriching life. Her aim was to please her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to bless others through the beautiful gifts of music that He had blessed her with.

We want to thank those who have taken care of her through the last seven years, at Spring Creek and also at Silverado. May God bless you all, as you continue to touch the lives of those who are no longer able to care for themselves.