Dick Patterson served during World War II as a coastal spotter. When he joined the military, he and Mary Elizabeth, wrote back and forth to each other, and he proposed to her by mail. She accepted and took a train from California to the east coast, staying with cousins. They had a private wedding in 1942. Between Elizabeth catching Scarlet fever and Dick having his appendix removed, neither were very well during their marriage. About the time that Mary Elizabeth got pregnant in the spring of 1944, Dick became quite ill and was diagnosed with leukemia. He passed away in January of 1945, 3 weeks before his daughter Karen was born. Mary Elizabeth, his wife, accompanied his casket on a train across the country back to California, where his funeral was held and he was buried.
Dick Patterson served during World War II as a coastal spotter. When he joined the military, he and Mary Elizabeth, wrote back and forth to each other, and he proposed to her by mail. She accepted and took a train from California to the east coast, staying with cousins. They had a private wedding in 1942. Between Elizabeth catching Scarlet fever and Dick having his appendix removed, neither were very well during their marriage. About the time that Mary Elizabeth got pregnant in the spring of 1944, Dick became quite ill and was diagnosed with leukemia. He passed away in January of 1945, 3 weeks before his daughter Karen was born. Mary Elizabeth, his wife, accompanied his casket on a train across the country back to California, where his funeral was held and he was buried.
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