LIBBIE (PATCHEN) PAINE

Mrs. Elizabeth Paine Dies at the Home of Daughter Here Today
Private Funeral will be Held For Widow of Pioneer Doctor
After many months of suffering, Mrs. Elizabeth Patchen Paine, 81,
widow of the late Dr. R.K. Paine, one of the pioneer physicians
of Manitowoc, died shortly before noon today at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. Charles Zeman, with whom she made her home. The
deceased suffered a stroke of apoplexy September 14, 1921, and
had been in failing health since that time.
During the last few weeks of Mrs. Paine's illness, her daughter,
Mrs. Zeman, has also been confined to her bed, suffering from a
heart attack.
The funeral services tomorrow afternoon at the Zeman home, 635
North Eighth street, will be private. Friends are asked to omit
flowers.
The maiden name of the deceased was Elizabeth Patchen. She was
born in the old "Guyatt House" at Sheboygan Falls, Dec. 20, 1850,
the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Patchen. Her parents had
just come west by boat with her mother's parents, Dr. and Mrs.
James H. Kellogg, who were moving from New York to Fond du Lac.
She spent her early childhood in Brothertown and Fond du Lac and
came to this city with her parents in June, 1862. Her father, Dr.
Andrew J. Patchen, was the only dentist in Manitowoc for some
years.
She attended school here and entered Platteville normal school. In
1870 she became principal of the primary department of a Two Rivers
school. She was always a serious student and when but 12 years of
age became the organist of the old St. James church, at the corner
of Ninth and Chicago streets. At a very early age she developed
considerable talent in drawing and painting and devoted most of her
lifetime to studying and teaching this line of work. Her first
studying of art was done under Prof. W.H. Holmes of Chicago, one of
the earliest of public school drawing teachers, and later she became
a graduate pupil of Prof. Burdick of Boston, Mass.
The most notable works of art of Mrs. Paine are five almost life
size panels of famous sacred pictures at the back of the altar of
St. James church. These burned wood panels required nearly five years
to complete. Reproductions of the same were shown in this paper in
January. So famous did these drawings become that people from many
parts of the country have been coming here to view the work of art
in the St. James church. They were presented to the church by Mrs.
Paine as a memorial to her late husband.
In addition to these works of art, Mrs. Paine has painted several
score smaller pictures in oils and pastels.
In 1872, while visiting a sister in a Chicago hospital, she met the
young house physician, Dr. Richard Kendall Paine, of Orange, Vt.,
and two years later he came to Manitowoc to locate, feeling this
district offered a splendid opening for a young physician and surgeon.
He was married to Miss Patchen October 28, 1874. They built the old
family home which still stands at Eighth and St. Clair streets. The
deceased and a few friends were the first to teach sewing in the
north side public schools until it became possible to have regular
teachers for this work. She was treasurer of St. James parish and
St. Faith's Guild for many years.
Mrs. Paine devoted considerable time in later years to travel and
study of art in other countries. In 1902 she made an intensive tour
of old Mexico and in 1910 of Europe and its splendid art galleries.
Although over eighty years of age, she remained, almost to the last,
keenly alert to the big issues of the day, and to the needs of those
less fortunate, all of whom will greatly miss her.
Her husband preceded her in death in 1904. She is survived by one
daughter, Mrs. Charles Zeman, city, a son, Richard, of Milwaukee, a
grandchild, Valeria Zeman, a brother, Dr. George Patchen of Micco,
Fla., and a sister, Mrs. D. Maloney of Portland, Ore.
Manitowoc Herald Times, Wednesday, June 15, 1932 p.1
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[Elizabeth Paine/bur. 6-16-1932/age 81 yrs/cause: apoplexy/bur. on
R.K. Paine lot]
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(Note: There is a photo with the obituary, but as is with most of
the newspaper photos, it is very dark)