Orchard, Patricia
ORCHARD, Patricia
Patricia Orchard gently separated from her body and exited into eternity on September 9, 2021. She was born in Chattanooga, TN but spent the majority of her life in Georgia where she worked, raised her 3 children as a single mother and served people in her life unselfishly. Patricia was married at age 16, had 3 children by age 22 and became a single mother at age 31. She returned to school at age 31 to obtain her high school diploma and continued pursuing several college courses to further her career. She worked as an intelligence Specialist for the U.S. Army and climbed the ranks of civilian service before retiring after 20 years of service only to enter a new line of work as a flight attendant for ValuJet/Air Tran. She loved to travel and saw the world through her work and a primary hobby of singing in various choruses with her church and with the Georgia Festival Chorus. She married the love of her life, Fred, in 1995 and cared for him tirelessly after he fell ill in 2000 and passed away in 2004. Soon after he passed she was diagnosed with leukemia and Parkinson's disease. She continued to sing, fly, travel, play tennis, swim and enjoy the abundance of life with family and friends as if there was no sickness. By 2012 she moved her ailing mother into her home to again shine as a selfless primary caretaker during the last 6 years of her Mom's life. Her mother passed away in 2018 at the age of 99 and Parkinson's disease began to take a toll on her although she never slowed down or gave into it. She committed her life to Christ as a young girl and never departed from faith. Her friends saw her as the most fun and kindest person they knew. She served her community volunteering at election polls and teaching English as a 2nd language to immigrants. She worked as many as 3 jobs at a time adding data entry and medical transcriptions to her Army career in order to provide access to the very best opportunities for her 3 children whom she considered the blessing of her life. She lived by the simple direction to seek God's will and then do whatever it takes to fulfill His will. Her life is a testimony that faith and action lead to great accomplishment for God's purposes, for others and for self.
She was preceded in death by her parents Franklin W. Perkins, Jr. (TY) and Virginia Hagaman Perkins as well as her husband Fredrick R. Orchard. She is survived by her sister Peggy Kerman (Horace) of Nevada and her 3 children all of the Atlanta area Scott Stewart (Tammy), Cindy Stewart (Rick Hyde) and Todd Stewart (Jan). She also has 5 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. Her family simply echos the words of Jesus to their beloved Patti Cake: Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord. Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday, September 15 at 12 O'clock in the chapel of H.M. Patterson & Son, Canton Hill Chapel in Marietta. Interment will follow in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
View the obituary on Legacy.com
Funeral Home Information
H.M. Patterson & Son-Canton Hill Chapel
1157 Old Canton Road Ne
Marietta, GA
30068
