Dorothy Fitch Patterson Zinn, 96, of Clyde, Texas passed away on Saturday, December 7, 2019 in Abilene, Texas.  She had fallen on November 13th and had two surgeries to repair a broken hip.

Dorothy was born August 25, 1923 in Crosbyton, Texas to Cecil Arthur Fitch and Dovie Lucille Fullingim. Her grandparents were Arthur Morris Fitch and Minnie Lasher from Dallas and William Peyton and Eula Lee Fullingim from Lorenzo, Texas. She graduated from Abilene High School in 1940 and attended Texas State College for Women in Denton, Texas. Dorothy married Jim Patterson from Merkel, Texas on December 3, 1945 in Abilene, Texas. He proceeded her in death on May 11, 1994. She married Willis Merritt Zinn from Elk City, Kansas on October 27, 1996 at the First Presbyterian Church in Independence, Kansas where she was a member for many years. He proceeded her in death on February 11, 2018.

Dorothy was a lifetime member of the PTA, DAR, and PEO Chapters EF in Kansas and Chapter CK in Abilene, Texas.  Most recently she was a member of the Clyde Study Group, Clyde's Womans Club and the Red Hat Club. She was very involved in her communities volunteering as a Pink Lady at the hospitals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Massapequa, New York and Independence, Kansas and serving on boards of Mercy Hospital and Community Concert in Independence, Kansas. While her husband, Jim Patterson, was a State Representative in Topeka, Kansas, she was very active at the State Capitol in different organizations. Dorothy was also very involved in her churches in each town where she lived.  Most recently she was a member of the Good Samaritan Sunday School Class at First United Methodist Church in Clyde, Texas. and loved her Ladies Friday Morning Coffee Group.

Dorothy loved to travel, to read, and was an avid letter writer. She also loved to play games, especially dominoes with her friends and family. Even at 96 years old she could play an amazing game of dominoes. She was a wonderful cook and entertainer!

Dorothy is survived by two children; Jon Patterson and daughter-in-law, Gail, of Newland, North Carolina, daughter, Jane Whelpley and son-in-law, Bill of Weatherford, Texas, three grandchildren, Alex Patterson and wife Nicole of Houston, Texas, Chelsea Whelpley of Dallas, Texas and Kyle Whelpley of Fort Worth, Texas. Cousins Betty Gary of Dallas, Texas, William and Marion Gary of Prescott, Arizona, and Dennis and Dwight Fullingim of Lubbock, Texas. She was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Ann Ferguson Patterson and husbands, Jim Patterson and Willis Zinn.

The family would like to give a special thank you to Gloria Wood, her caregiver and friend, for her dedication to Dorothy for the last 6 years. They would also like to thank her many friends for all of the special visits and outings over the last few years. Friends meant the world to her!

Memorial services will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Clyde, Texas on January 4, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Monty Barnett officiating. Interment will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Elmwood Memorial Park in Abilene, Texas.  Memorials in her memory may be sent to First United Methodist Church in Clyde, Texas, the First Presbyterian Church in Independence, Kansas or the PEO Educational Fund.