Kathleen (Kathy) Anne Patterson nickname "Horse" or “Grammie” of Canastota, NY, 85, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on July 14, 2026, after a short duration illness.

Kathy was born on April 24, 1941, in Silver Creek, NY. The daughter of Homer Jack Patterson and Gladys Bertha White Patterson. She is Bear Clan of The Oneida Indian Nation of NY.

Kathy lived in Randolph,

NY from age 11 at the Randolph Children's Home. After graduation from Randolph High School class of 1961, she lived in the area working several jobs, The Foundary, Marlon Rockwell, Randolph Restaurant, Cattaraugus County Office Building in the Tax Map department. She was very active in the community with many groups and clubs, St. Patrick’s Altar Rosary, Eastern Stars, Elected Town Assessor and her beloved BINGO. She has always considered Randolph her favorite place in the whole world.

Later, Kathy moved to Rockville, MD working for the US Department of Health and Human Services Agency Indian Health Service as a Real Property Specialist, retiring in 2004. While living there she also was very active with Parents without Partners (PWP), IHS Softball, IHS LIUNA President, and Pow Wows making Indian Tacos.

She then moved to her Oneida Homelands, where she was able to live out her retirement years being busy with Oneida Elders, BINGO, community events, sewing with the Chittenango High School "Scissors Gang", or supporting each grandchild’s events, music performances, bands, dance competitions, musicals, and baseball games. She recently became a huge supporter of the Oneida Lacrosse Club. Her hobbies throughout her life were BINGO, beadwork jewelry, crocheting, and most of all sewing. Being a huge Elvis fan, it was fitting that her last moments were spent listening to “Love Me Tender” being serenaded by her family.

Kathy’s number one love in her life was her family. She lived her life for her favorite son James and daughter Patty. Then, when the five grandkids were born, anything that they wanted or needed – Grammie made sure they had. The twinkle in her eye was saved specially for her great-grandchildren who she just adored and loved to watch them grow. She had many nieces and nephews who she thought of as her own children. And when they had children, they too held a special place in her heart. As those great nieces and nephews had babies, she always said – “I can’t believe that I held their grandparents in my arms when they were born. Those babies are so very special to me”

At 85, Kathy was the oldest living woman in the Bear Clan family for four generations, and everyone in the family regarded her with so much love and caring and she the same for them. She held the stories, the information and the memories and loved to share them with anyone who would listen. Her strength and courage were present in all stages of her life. Her family has learned so much from that quality in her – it is a gift that they will carry throughout their lives. One of Kathy’s favorite games to play while driving or sitting at the kitchen window was Fuh-diddle and Badiddle. She was quite the quick catch every time. So, if you see one – think of her!

Kathy is survived by her daughter, Patricia A. Welch (Kelly) of Chittenango; her son, James M. Patterson (Stephanie Kern) of Canastota; 5 grandchildren, Maegan Welch of Merrick, NY, Nickolas Welch (Raven Flynn) of San Tan Valley, AZ, Taylor Whittaker (Clinton) of Manchester, NY, Elizabeth Howard (Andrew), Canastota, NY and Benjamin Welch of Chittenango; 3 ½ great grandchildren, Clinton, Theodore, Cecelia and Baby T Whittaker of Manchester, NY; a brother, Charles Patterson of Binghamton, NY and a sister, Gaea Bailey (Bill), of Phoenix, AZ. Also, very dear to her heart were her nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, she was pre-deceased by her brother, John R. Patterson (1995), her twin sister, Karen P. Patterson (1980), Marcia Patterson (1995), and Marilyn E. John (2007).

Calling hours will be Thursday, July 16, 2026, from 4-7pm at the J Homer Ball Funeral Home Inc., 201 James Street, Canastota. Funeral Service and Burial will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, July 17, 2026 at Oneida Nation Burial Grounds, and Reception (Feed the Bears) at the Oneida Nation Cookhouse, 1028 Territory Road, Oneida, NY.