Mary Patterson

Mary (Anderson) Patterson, born on Christmas Day (December 25, 1923), is 102.5 years old, currently living in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Growing up, she was one of six kids. She is a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and always has a positive outlook and something inspiring to say. Fun fact – her name was supposed to be Patricia, but when she was born on Christmas, her Swedish Lutheran grandfather suggested her name should be Mary. She’s a practical woman who doesn’t talk much about herself, so Lise (Mary’s eldest daughter) added some extra details to some of the questions below.

Four generations! Mary on her 100th birthday (Dec 25th, 2023) with daughter Lise, granddaughter Siri, and great granddaughter Maisie. / Contributed photo

What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Don’t undersell yourself. All you need to do is take the first step and the rest will follow as you go.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to work with cooking and nutrition from the age of nine and up!

Lise adds: And she did! She was a canning expert and was teaching grown women how to can food when she was 9 years old. Her Irish Catholic and Swedish Lutheran grandmothers were professional cooks in Sweden, La Crosse and St. Paul.

What did you do for work?

I did informal teaching of nutrition to groups and individuals through the extension office at Iowa State University.

Lise: Mom raised four kids (including myself) for ten years, then had a career as a home economist, which means she taught people how to cook, clean, and can food, and how to run a household. She also taught Headstart for a couple of years, was a judge for 4-H, volunteered for Habitat for Humanity (and once met Jimmy Carter and his wife), and was involved with the Heifer Project International after retirement!

Mary and John got married on Feb 21, 1953. / Contributed photo

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you want with you?

The Bible for reading, a shovel for digging, and some sturdy walking shoes!

Lise: Not sure if the shovel is for digging for clams or buried treasure – she’s so practical!!

Describe yourself in one sentence:

Interested in learning – through reading, TV and so forth.

Lise: Mom was a voracious reader until her eyesight declined – she enjoys watching Iowa Public Television, and when I was a kid, she often listened to home-ec shows and Twins games on the radio in the 1960s.

If you could eat one thing every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Potatoes first!

Lise: Her father was a Swedish Lutheran potato farmer!

One thing you can’t live without:

Good memories. One of my favorite memories is of John (Mary’s late husband) lying on the floor with all four of our kids climbing all over him.

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