Gertrude D. Pattillo
MALVERN -- Rev. Gertrude Dillard Pattillo, 97, of Malvern died Jan. 19, 2003 at HSC Medical Center in Malvern. She was born March 10, 1905 in Malvern, daughter of the late James and Rosie Dillard. She was a member of Bethel AME Church in Malvern and had served as district Young People's Department president, district missionary president and conference Women's Missionary Society president. She was the first woman ordained as a minister in the 12th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episopal Church which covers Arkansas and Oklahoma. She served as pastor of several churches including Bethel AME at Carthage, Pleasant Hill AME at Dalark, Mt. Zion AME at Princeton, Greenhill AME at Whelen Springs, St. Paul AME at Hot Springs and Center Point AME. She was preceded in death by her husband, George Patillo and a daughter, Fannie Mae Pattillo Jones.
Survivors include: Three granddaughters, Rosemary Walker and Whitney Jones of Malvern and Dr. Misty Nolen of Little Rock; and a great-grandson, Jared Walker.
Funeral will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Bethel AME Church in Malvern with Rev. Larry M. Banks officiating and Dr. W.G. Wynn, eulogist. Burial will be in Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Brandon's Mortuary of Malvern.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. today at the funeral home. The family will be at the home of William Jones of Malvern.
Published: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 in The Daily Siftings Herald, Arkadelphia, Clark County, Arkansas, http://www.siftingsherald.com/.