Ceremony for Pat Rhoton
Pat Rhoton
Pat Rhoton
The members of the Chief John Ross Chapter commemorated the life of a former regent, Patricia King Rhoton, in a ceremony held at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Mrs. Rhoton’s family and officers of the Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution joined in the remembrance.
Jessica Mines Dumitru, CJR regent, recalled Regent Rhoton’s service at the chapter, state and national level: “If you ever met Pat Rhoton, you remember her. Dignified, dedicated to DAR, loving wife, mother and grandmother, Pat Rhoton was a powerful force in our DAR and Chattanooga community."
Mrs. Rhoton was a native Chattanoogan. She and her husband, Dr. Alex Rhoton, attended the same elementary school, then attended GPS and McCallie respectively, began dating their sophomore year and married in 1960 at First Centenary Methodist. They always said that they had a “forever love story”.
Mrs. Rhoton graduated from Peabody College and taught elementary school while Dr. Rhoton completed UT Medical School, his surgical residency at Erlanger and served his nation as a major and a surgeon in the U. S. Navy, stationed in the Azores. After their time in the military, they returned to Chattanooga where Mrs. Rhoton served as a leader at Brainerd United Methodist Church, in the Erlanger and Hamilton County Medical Auxiliary, the GPS Alumnae Association, the United States Daughters of 1812 and the Missionary Ridge Garden Club.
Mrs. Rhoton joined the Children of the American Revolution as a young girl, graduated to Junior membership, was chosen Outstanding Junior, served twice as the regent of the Chief John Ross and as TSDAR state regent, 2001-2004. She was elected vice president general NSDAR, 2004-2007. Continuing to be an avid supporter of CAR and NSDAR junior Membership Committee, she served on the Advisory Board of Tamassee DAR School and as chairman of the Advisory Committee of KDS DAR School.
"Today, we remember Mrs. Rhoton with affection and with respect," said Regent Dumitru. "She was our Steel Magnolia - - kind and encouraging, but strong with a wide streak of self-discipline and just a bit of perfectionism. She loved DAR, had a special relationship with Tennessee’s Juniors and she loved our DAR schools. She never stopped being a teacher and our society is stronger because she was one of us.”
Mrs. Rhoton’s sons, Alex and King, offered remembrances, sometimes poignant and often humorous, of their mother. Granddaughter Lizzie Rhoton assisted Regent Dumitru as they placed two magnolia blossom wreaths at the memorial and TSDAR Regent Charlotte Stout Reynolds, a member of Mrs. Rhoton administration, shared her memories of Mrs. Rhoton’s leadership, service and dedication to the ideals of patriotism, education and historic preservation. CJR member and TSDAR Historian Linda Moss Mines offered a final assessment of Mrs. Rhoton’s legacy by noting that “a tangible tribute to her service are the wreaths placed in honor of her devotion to this Society; an intangible tribute to Patricia King Rhoton is our commitment to continue her pursuit of excellence in all endeavors.”
The service concluded with a benediction offered by CJR Chaplain Susan Whelchel.