WAITES, Pattie Gardner Up­church, 90, a resident of Pratt­ville, AL passed away Sun­day, March 9, 2008.  A celebration of her life will be held Wednesday, March 12, 2008, at 1:30 pm at The First Baptist Church, Prattville, with Dr. Travis Coleman and Rev. Dave Burns officiating.  The family will receive visitors from 12:30 to 1:30 in the Wor­ship Center in the church.  A private burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First Baptist Church, Prattville, The Universi­ty of Montevallo Foundation, Station 6215, Montevallo, AL 35115, or to a favorite charity in her honor.  A World War I baby, she is the daughter of the deceased John Robert Upchurch and Dorothy Gibbons Upchurch.  She graduated from Sidney Lanier High School and Ala­bama College for Women (now the University of Mon­tevallo) where she was Editor of “The Alabamian” and cho­sen School Writer by her peers.  She was a charter member of Alpha Chi Alpha, an honorary journalism socie­ty, and was selected a mem­ber of National Collegiate Players, a drama fraternity.  After graduation she taught at Baldwin Junior High School and hosted a radio program at WCOV and later a local-interest TV program at WCOV-TV.  In 1940 she married John Ivey Waites. She founded the Montgomery Friends of the Li­brary and was one of the founders of Montgomery League of Women Voters.  She served as president of the Montgomery branch of the American Association of Uni­versity Women  (AAUW) where she was active in working to­ward prison reform.  She served as District Legislative Chairman of the Alabama Federation of Women’s Clubs. She completed a Master of Science in Education at Au­burn University.  While teach­ing at Baldwin she was elect­ed president of the Montgom­ery Teaching Association and selected a charter member of Alpha Delta Kappa (ADK), an honorary teaching frater­nity and served a year as president. She also taught at Bellingrath and Goodwin Jun­ior High Schools, as well as Jeff Davis High School.  Some years before retire­ment, she moved to Autauga County where she lived until her death.  After retirement, she served for several years as president of the Fidelis Gamma Chapter (ADK), and, as an organizer, charter member, and president of the Estudie Club for Women.  She was also president of the Autauga County Retired Teachers Association.  On moving to Autauga Coun­ty she moved her church let­ter from First Baptist Church of Montgomery to Prattville First Baptist Church. She sang in the choir, served as chairman of the Policy Committee, church historian, and taught an adult Sunday School Class for eighteen years.  She was preceded in death by her husband, John Ivey Waites.  She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Upchurch Rountree;  two daughters, Jan Byrne and Mary Patt and son-in-law, Joe Talton; spiritual son, Don and wife, Kay, Pres­ley;  four grandchildren, J.B.Varley, Jenna Varley, Paije Rupinen; Trey Talton; numer­ous grandchildren; and best friends and faithful compan­ions, Tammy Kimberly, Louel­la Edwards, Felecia Adams. The family wishes to thank Wybenga Family HealthCare, Mea of Vista Care Hos­pice, and Resurrection Life Center.  Pall Bearers are Billy Sparks, Roy McAuley, Harold Stock­man, Ed Bolling, Allen Herrod, Jim Boyd and honorary Pall Bearers are Mark Ford, Mark Hindeman, Jerry DeBin, KeithTurner and the members of The Believers Sunday School Class.
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Funeral Home: RIDOUTS CHAPEL
Publication Date: 03/12/2008