Dottie Patten
Determined to Rise
On January 9th, a birthday celebration was going on at Reilly’s South on Hilton Head Island. This was no ordinary party though; it was dedicated to Dorothy “Dottie” Parker Patton as she celebrated her 85th year of life!
I had the honor of being a guest at the party, and after getting to know Dottie over the past six months, I realized she has quite a story to tell. Her authentic smile, genuine laugh, and kind heart have been through so much.
In 1934, Ernest and Edith Parker gave birth to their second daughter in Winchester, Mass. Dottie and her older sister, Betts, had a nice life in the Boston suburbs, where Dottie spent years as a dedicated Girl Scout. She was a goal setter from early on. Her Girl Scout troop was invited to spend seven-weeks in Europe as a Winchester, Mass., ambassadors. Ten girls and three leaders were heading to Winchester, England, but it was going to cost them each $700—an insurmountable amount of money then!