Patricia June Scoggins Burell, 85, of Fort Oglethorpe, passed away after a heart attack on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.
She was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee to the late Ira Lawrence Scoggins & Mildred Wallace Scoggins, graduated from Lakeview High School in 1954, and lived in the Chattanooga area for most of her life.
Patricia never met a stranger, never lacked warm words for any living creature, and never let hardship dim her smile or mute her laughter. Beneath her conservative surface lived a spirit of adventure that compelled her in the ‘90s to transfer to California for a spell (and make an epic cross-country drive back to Chattanooga, solo and non-stop). To her last days she spoke often and joyfully about her 24 years work as a legal secretary for the Social Security Administration in Chattanooga, her friendships with its judges and her “Girls Trip” shenanigans in airplanes and on road trips with her co-worker friends. Even in her 80th summer, she said “yes” to a 100-hour, four-week road-trip around the USA with her son to reunite with family and friends.
After retirement, Patricia and her husband, Frank, moved to Centre, Alabama, where she relished singing in the choir and volunteering to do social work with the wonderful Pine Grove Baptist Church community. At home, she studied her Bible and showered her love on her dogs Rusty, Amy, and Baby. Upon Frank’s passing, she chose to return to Chattanooga to enjoy the loving companionship and selfless support of her lifelong best friend Barbara Hicks.
Patricia devoted her life to working full-time while raising her five children. Her buoyant spirit will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by all.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Louis Burell; daughters, Susan Maureen Burell and Toni Lynn Burell Potts; grandson, Joshua Bryan Ottinger and brother, Prof. James Scoggins.
Survivors include her children, Frank “Chip” and (Cindy) Burell (Louisville, Kentucky), Sherry Yother (Rome, Georgia), and Clay Burell (Beijing, China); sister, Janice Massey; sister-in-law and dear friend Ulna Black; grandchildren, Christopher Anderson, Christena Burell, Madeleine Almanza, Zander and Dakota Yother; two great-grandchildren, and numerous extended family & friends.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the Fort Oglethorpe Chapel with Bro. Eugene Burgess officiating. Entombment will follow in the Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 4~7 p.m. on Tuesday and prior to the service on Wednesday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to Pine Grove Baptist Church in Centre, Al., P.O. Box 7 Centre, Al. 35960.
An online guest book is at www.wilsonfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are by W. L. Wilson & Sons Funeral Homes, Fort Oglethorpe.