V.A. Patterson, a member of the bishop's staff for the Diocese of Mississippi and a friend of too many to number, died February 7, 2021, with her daughter, Jennifer Peters, and Jennifer's husband, Todd, by her side at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
In a Facebook post, Jennifer wrote, “She had not told many people she was sick, so I know this comes as a shock to many.”
And it was a shock. The diocesan staff has regular meetings twice a week, and V.A. was in attendance for all of 
them until a couple of weeks ago. “V.A. told us she was ill,” said Bishop Seage, “but we did not know how serious it was.”
Among the many contributions V.A. made to community service organizations, she was also the long-time archivist for the Diocese of Mississippi, serving in that position for 24 years. V.A. fielded questions about The Episcopal Church and this diocese regarding historical details and did independent research into mysteries that sparked her imagination.
“She was a delight to have on our staff. Her optimism and humor shined through even when we [the staff] were forced to have our meetings by phone,” the bishop said.
V.A. was a communicant of St. Andrew’s Cathedral and a member of the vestry. She was recognized as a Community Arts Leader at the 30th annual Mississippi Arts Commission’s Governor’s Awards. Also, she was a fabulous Grand Marshall for Jackson’s St. Paddy’s Day Parade, an honor she lived to the fullest.
Funeral arrangements for V.A. will be announced at a later date.
The Rev. Scott Lenoir is the editor of The Mississippi Episcopalian.
To learn more about V.A. Patterson’s extraordinary service to Mississippi, click on the link below to read a feature published in Mississippi Today by veteran writer Sherry Lucas.
Patterson: a crucial component in Mississippi creative circle
