Pattie Marie Crafton

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Pattie Marie Thornton Crafton age 84, passed away on Thursday, May 23, 2019 at the St. Francis Hospital of Memphis, TN.   Funeral services will be officiated by Rev. Joe Thornton on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at 11:00 A.M. in the sanctuary of Tabernacle Methodist Church of Brownsville, TN.  Burial to follow in the Tabernacle Cemetery.

A visitation for the Crafton family will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019 at the Second Presbyterian Church of Memphis, TN from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Reeves Crafton, Sr; her parents:  Nicholas Perkins Thornton Jr and Pattie Fletcher Thornton; two brothers:  Guilford Thornton and Nicholas Thornton III; two sisters:  Ruth Harmon and Sally Cavin.

She is survived by four sons:  Nicholas Thornton Crafton of Memphis, TN, Joe Reeves Crafton, Jr. (Amy) of Dallas, TX, Dr. Eugene Middleton Crafton (Angie) of Grand Junction, CO, Hugh Fletcher Crafton of Memphis, TN; one brother:  Robert Earl Thornton (Betsy) of Brownsville, TN; one sister:  Ginger Hathcock of Brownsville, TN; and leaves a legacy of four grandchildren:  James Crafton, (Alex) David Crafton, Joe Reeves Crafton III, and Skylar Crafton.  She also leaves 12 nieces and 8 nephews whom she held dear.

Paree, as she was known in her youth, was always special.   As a student at Haywood High School, Paree was elected to represent Haywood County for Girls State.    At the University of Tennessee -Knoxville, Paree joined her beloved Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority.  While quite involved in AOPi, Paree made many life-long friends and was elected chapter president.    She was a standout student and campus leader.   Among many other achievements, Paree was appointed President of Women’s Student Government Association, Sigma Alpha Epsilon-Coed of the Year and the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi, Phi Kappa Phi, Mortarboard, and the university’s highest honor-Torchbearer.  Following graduation as the valedictorian at the College of Education in 1955, she was a public-school teacher in Memphis.    In 1957, she was invited to a dinner party at “New Hope” the home of Edmund and Averil Taylor.  The dinner had been arranged by Averil and Paree’s cousin, George Thornton with the purpose of introducing Paree to Averil’s brother -Joe Crafton of Stanton, TN.    Six months later, Paree and Joe entered 45 years of matrimony at Tabernacle Methodist Church in Brownsville.     

Pattie Marie, as she was known by her family, was a beautiful, saintly woman who was extremely kind and patient.  She was clearly devoted to supporting her husband and rearing her four boys.    She was a passionate consumer of all news and quick to provide her opinion on local, national and global politics.  She loved the Lord, was a student of the Bible and was active at Second Presbyterian Church and the Martha Mary Circle prayer group.   There are innumerable stories of her acts of kindness to friends, family and strangers in need.  Her family takes comfort in the knowledge that she has joined her savior Jesus Christ in heaven.

The Crafton family requests that any memorials be made to the Tabernacle Campground Foundation, c/o Suzanna Martinez 770 Ross Rd. Brownsville, TN 38012.