Marcia Tallman Patterson passed away on May 6th of 2022, at the age of 88, after five years of ovarian cancer. Marcia is survived by Clark – her husband of 64 wonderful years together, her son – Christopher, (Laura Stahr), her daughter – Wendy Dillard, (Mike), and her sister – Janice Cranch, (Mary Lou Schloss).
She is also survived by Chris and Laura’s children, Anna Forest, (Daniel) and their daughter Isabella, and Shaina Mackin, (Ryan), as well as Wendy’s children, Sarah and Tanya Groeneveld, and some especially supportive and friendly nieces and nephews.
Marcia graduated from Buffalo State Teachers College and taught fourth grade for three years in Lewiston, New York, and also Pittsford, New York. When her children were young, she tutored and worked in the Public School System as a secretary for several years, then started Butterfly Secretarial Services and worked at home.
Marcia also provided specialized services to the RIT School for the Deaf
Marcia was active in the original Pet Assisted Therapy Program at Lollypop Farm and was a Cub Scout leader. She was also a volunteer at the Red Cross blood donation centers.
Marcia has donated her body to the medical school at the University of Rochester, and there will not be any services.
In Marcia’s free time during the spring and summer. She raised butterflies. Butterflies have four life stages, the egg, the larva (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult butterfly. She was vigilant in each stage making sure that each butterfly had a chance to grow and fly away. The most important stage is the egg as the butterflies lay eggs on the underside of a milkweed plant, so you need to be very careful when you are searching because that egg can detach and fall off. They are about the size of a pinhead. the two most exciting part of the process is watching the Chrysalis open up, learning how to fly, and even sometimes landing on someone’s arm, nose, or hat. The utmost thrilling part is watching them fly away. Sometimes one at a time sometimes in a group.
To honor her, memorials may be made to the organizations that were important to her or those important to you.
