Sharon Lee Patton

Sharon Dooley Patton, of Atlanta, GA was born April 7, 1967 in Roanoke, Virginia, the first child to Sandra Cole and Gene Dooley. Sharon passed quietly in the early morning hours of January 4th after an aggressive battle with early on-set Dementia. She has been surrounded in life by loving son Chase Patton [father Greg Patton], younger siblings, Cheryl Dooley Mathews, and Stephen Santucci-Dooley, surviving parent Sandra Cole Dooley, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Sharon was a much loved little girl who grew up enchanted by music which carried through her whole life. She was a fiercely loyal mother to Chase, dedicated completely to the well-being of her loving family unit. The disease she suffered from was intense and the last few years of her life were a confusing struggle for all the people around her, unsure how to reconcile her life from her disorienting disease. However, her life was more about the joy she brought to us and not the disease that stole her too young. She will be remembered for her beauty, her kindness, her intelligence, her stubbornness, her undying love for Normal Reedus from the Walking Dead, and also her love for the music of the Grateful Dead. As her friend, we may remember our college days, or the way Sharon always showed up for us. As her siblings, we may remember all of the 'First's' we saw like first prom, first love and especially the first time we saw her hold her son. As her mother, you may remember the late nights comforting Sharon as a sick child or the pride felt for her upon graduating high school. As her son, you may remember your number one fan, always on the sideline, the first face you always look for whether you win or lose. Today we mourn her death, but more importantly we also celebrate her life. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss