Aretta Pendergraph Patterson Bowman, age 91 of Autumn Care of Biscoe, and formerly of 223 East Roswell Street in Troy, died Saturday, February 27, 2010 at First Health Moore Regional Hospital Pinehurst of pneumonia.

Mrs. Bowman was born June 18, 1918 in Chapel Hill, and grew up in Alamance County.  She had two brothers, Paul Pendergraph and James Pendergraph, and a sister, Cora Gilbert, all of whom predeceased her.  She was married and widowed twice, first to William Wayne Patterson and later to Robert Taft Bowman. 

Mrs. Bowman was a seamstress, and worked for several textile mills in Montgomery County in addition to dressmaking for private clients.  She later provided in-home elder care, and worked well into her eighties.

Her greatest source of pride was her son Kenneth W. "Kenny" Patterson, who survives her and is an attorney for the United States Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC.  Her greatest joys in the last years of her life were her friends, playing bingo at the nursing home, and visits from her son and her "grand-dog" Susie, Kenny's English Bulldog.  She was a member of First Baptist Church in Troy.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, March 2, 2010 from 11:00 am -12:00 pm at First Baptist Church Chapel of Troy, 401 E. Main Street, Troy, NC. A memorial service will follow at 12:00 (noon) in the First Baptist Church Chapel with Dr. Phillips McRae officiating.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Montgomery County Council on Aging, PO Box 697, Troy, NC 27371

Arrangements by Pugh-Troy Funeral Home