Patricia Lorena Pershing

Patricia Lorena (Van Meter) Pershing passed away during the early morning hours of 15 June 2021. She was 74 years of age and had an enduring five year battle with Parkinson’s disease. At her time of death, she resided at the Bell Trace Long Term Care Facility in Bloomington Indiana. Her husband James (Jim) A. Pershing, PhD was with Patricia during her final hours.

Patricia was born 30 September 1946 on her paternal grandparents’ farm in Clark County Indiana. Her father, Carl L. Van Meter, was born in Clark County Indiana. Her mother, Lorena F. Braxton, was born in Southampton England. During World War II, Carl farmed his father’s land while Carl and Lorena lived on the farm in a log cabin. The cabin was without facilities and utilities due in part to war time shortages of building materials. Thus, Patricia was born and spent her infant years in an authentic Indiana log cabin. She had three older brothers: Robert, David, and Jerry.

Patricia attended primary school in Henryville Indiana and high school in Charlestown Indiana. She was the Salutatorian in her graduating class of 1964. She attended Indiana State University on a State of Indiana Academic Scholarship and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1968. The capstone of Patricia’s academic pursuits was a Master of Science degree specializing in clothing and textile science from the University of Missouri, graduating in 1974.

Jim and Patricia met in their first year of college and were married on 31 July 1965 in Charlestown Indiana. They were married for 56 years. Patricia learned an appreciation for hard work during her formative years growing up on a farm. Though the only girl and the youngest in her family, she was not exempt from farm labor. This motivated her to leave farm life and to seek a higher education. In her early adult years, she profited from her typing and data entry skills. While in undergraduate and graduate school she typed over a hundred thesis and dissertations using an electric typewriter. Patricia taught high school in South Bend Indiana and substitute taught in Columbia Missouri. For a few years in the late 1970s, she taught tailoring and costume making at Indiana University. She then spent the bulk of her professional career as a costumier for the Musical Arts Center, School of Music, Indiana University. She retired in 2003 having constructed hundreds of costumes for both operas and ballets.

Patricia’s work history is secondary to her dominant and passionate vocation of motherhood. Being a good Mom was at the core of her moral compass. Patricia gave birth to two children. Daughter Jana Lynn was born 12 September 1968. Son James Harold was born 13 May 1971. Patricia nurtured Jana and James to be best friends first and siblings second. With Patricia’s mentoring, both children excelled academically. Both children participated in extracurricular activities including sports. Both graduated from Bloomington Indiana High School North as valedictorians of their respective classes. Jana pursued a career in academics. She received a Bachelor of Arts in sociology with honors and distinction from Indiana University in 1990. In 1992 Jana received a Master of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Washington. She was awarded her Doctor of Philosophy degree in sociology from the University of Washington in 1997. She was hired as a faculty member in sociology at San Diego State University. Thereafter she quickly rose to the rank of Full Professor. She excelled with her research agenda and taught the most popular course on campus titled Murder in America. To this day, Professor Emeritus Jana L. Pershing is heavily cited in the academic literature in sociology, a decade after her premature death due to cancer. After high school graduation, son James attended the United States Naval Academy. He majored in political science and graduated with honors in the class of 1993. In 2003 James earned a Master of Liberal Arts degree from Spring Hill College in Mobile Alabama. He became a naval aviator and flew SH-60B helicopters serving two tours of duty in the Middle East. He was awarded the Navy Wing Pilot of the year in 1998. After more than 9 years of service in the United States Navy, James transitioned in 2002 to the United States Coast Guard as a naval aviator. He continued as a helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard and became a senior and instructor pilot. He has risen to the rank of Commander and is presently the Operations Officer at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City North Carolina. In her nurturing, mentoring, and educating vocation with her children, Patricia was a proud mother.

Patricia was an extraordinarily gifted craftsperson. She was a master tailor, costumier, and quilter. She hand quilted thirty-two original quilts and completed partials of 12 quilts that were family heirlooms. With her husband Jim, she practiced over a fifteen year period to become an accomplished ballroom dancer.

Over several years and prior to her illness, Patricia was actively involved in several local and statewide organizations. These include: the Bloomington Indiana Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution where she served as Chapter Regent in 2016 to 2018. The Indiana Ladies Auxiliary, Sons of the American Revolution, Daniel Guthrie Chapter. The American Legion Auxiliary, Bloomington Indiana, Post 18. The Monroe and Scott Counties Indiana Historical Societies. The Bloomington Indiana Quilters Guild. The United States Naval Academy Parents Club of Indiana where she served in the governance structure for four years. And, the Bloomington Indiana Christian Science Church where she was very involved in church governance.

In passing, Patricia wished to express a special thanks and love to her oldest brother, Robert Van Meter and his wife Nicki, of Sterling Heights Michigan; her husband’s niece Rebecca Carothers and her husband Steve of Fort Wayne Indiana; and her husband James for their extraordinary attentiveness during her last two years of her debilitating illness, much of which occurred in physical isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over a thirteen-month time span, her husband Jim missed only two days of window visits with the love of his life, Patricia.

Patricia was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Lorena Van Meter, her brother Jerry Van Meter, her in-laws Harold and Ruth Pershing, and her loving daughter Professor Jana Lynn Pershing who passed at the age of 41 in 2010.

Patricia’s closest surviving relatives are her husband Professor Emeritus James A. Pershing, Indiana University; son James H. Pershing, Commander, United States Coast Guard, Air Station Elizabeth City North Carolina; and daughter in law Natalie D. Pershing, RN. Her most precious descendants are her twin grandchildren, James Frederick and Dara Lynn Pershing, ages 16. She loved them dearly and they in turn loved their Grandma Pershing. She will miss most of all helping to guide them in their transition to young adulthood. Towards her end, Patricia projected that “Jimmy and Dara will do well.”

Day & Deremiah-Frye Funeral Home of Bloomington Indiana has been entrusted with the cremation of Patricia’s remains. No funeral services will be held.

Online condolences may be given at www.DayDeremiahFrye.com