Florence Patton's Obituary
William and Rebecca Roden welcomed their youngest child, Florence Rebecca,
on July 5, 1916. Florence, who was born in the family home in St. Louis, Missouri,
joined siblings William, Julian, Elizabeth, Frank and Bernice. Shortly after her
birth, the family moved to a home on North Market Street just minutes away from
William Roden’s stable. One of the last farriers in the city, William’s robust
horseshoe business and his place in St. Louis history was a source of pride for
Florence.
Florence was educated in St. Louis Public Schools and graduated from Sumner
High School. After high school, she worked first at United Mail, a direct mail
business that supported veterans, before joining her sister, Bernice, at F. W.
Woolworth. It was while she was working at Woolworth that she met her husband,
Anthony, through a mutual friend. They married and welcomed their son, Anthony
Roy Patton in 1936; daughter, Sandra Bernice Patton Pitts was born in 1944. It
was at this point that Florence became a full-time homemaker as Anthony’s job
with a railroad company took him away from home for weeks at a time.
Florence loved people and parties; and as a young adult, her siblings were only
too willing to oblige her passion. As she told the story, her father eventually
purchased a car and along with her sister, Bernice, she and her brothers, would
“borrow” it for drives that often ended in East St. Louis party venues. Later in life,
this love to be on the go, never waned. Her favorite pastimes included travel and
spending a little time at a local casino or a day at the races.
Family was important to Florence and of all the Roden family members, she was
the one you could count on for a phone call or an envelope with a “little extra” for
the beneficiary. If you needed any information on the family, Florence was the
person to contact.
She had a lifelong passion for baseball, and the St. Louis Cardinals was her
favorite team. Yet, when Hall of Famers Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella
were in their bat swinging heydays, she was one of their biggest fans.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony; son, Anthony Roy Patton;
daughter, Sandra Bernice Patton Pitts and granddaughter, Donna Lynn Pitts.
Mourning her passing are: grandchildren, Anthony Roy Patton, Jr., (Karla Olmos),
Candace Fisher and Melanie (Jesse) Rigby; great-grandchildren, Marshall Faulk,
Jr., Drew Fisher, Tatum Fisher, Jordan Rigby, Jonah Rigby, Joshua Rigby, Joel
Rigby and Vilca Quezada; nieces, Thelma “Devolia” Roden Forbis, Mildred Roden
Boyd, Francine Roden and Shirley Roden Holmes; nephew, Clarence Roden;
daughter-in-law, Yvonne Patton; the Patton nieces and nephews with whom she
was especially close, and a host of great nieces, nephews and cousins, who held
her dear.
As we lay our beloved Florence to rest, we should be mindful that during her
lifetime there were two World Wars, a Suffragette Movement that gave women
the right to vote, and a Civil Rights movement that defended the right for
African Americans to vote. As a member of the Colored Clerks Circle, she was a
working woman on the front lines of both desegregation and equal rights for
women. Yet, she saw African American success stories daily from her home in
The Ville, a thriving community of African American commerce in the heart of
St. Louis.
Along with her mother, and sister, Bernice, Florence traveled with Annie
Malone, creator of Poro College and Hair Care Products. It was Malone, a selfmade millionaire and close family friend who hired Florence, Bernice, Elizabeth
and Rebecca after William Roden’s death when the depression gripped the
country. She saw her brother, Julian, fight a union and win, so African
Americans could become motion picture projectionists in the segregated
theaters in the city.
She saw Congresswomen Shirley Chisolm, the first African American woman in
Congress, become the first African American woman to run for president. And,
like many Americans, she watched the swearing in of President Barack Obama,
the first African American to hold the highest office in the nation. Nineteen
individuals, with several serving multiple terms, occupied the Whitehouse
during her lifetime – from Woodrow Wilson to Joe Biden.
She saw Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to ascend to the
Supreme Court. She watched as he set the stage for four women including the
first African American woman, Ketanji Brown Jackson, follow in his footsteps.
Before her passing, Vice-President Kamala Harris became the first woman and
the first African American woman sworn into the second highest office in our
country. The list of American and African American firsts that she bore witness
to is endless.
We stand on her shoulders, as well as those of the entire Roden family,
and are forever grateful.
~ Her Loving Family ~
What’s your fondest memory of Florence?
What’s a lesson you learned from Florence?
Share a story where Florence's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Florence you’ll never forget.
How did Florence make you smile?
