Pieretta Jean (Banks) Patterson was born  October 4, 1947 to the loving union of Robert and Dorothy Banks in Springfield, Illinois.  Pieretta was the oldest of nine children, and the oldest grandchild of Orville McDaniel and the second oldest grandchild of Charles and Cozetta (Flake) Lockhart.  

 

At an early age, Pieretta confessed her faith in Christ, and joined Union Baptist Church under the late Reverend Dr. J. Alfred Wilson.

 

After high school, young Pieretta married Harold “Billy/Jinx” Smith in 1966  and together raised four children: Annetta Carol, Antonio “Tony” Lee, Rodney Eugene Sr. and Sonja Marie.

 

Later in life Pieretta met and married Prie Patterson and together they built a loving home for six grandchildren and  three great grandchildren.

 

Outside the home, Pieretta, lovingly known as Peedy, was employed with Ameritech for 25 years, retiring in 1995.  Two years after retiring, Pieretta fulfilled a lifelong dream and earned her associate degree from Lincoln Land Community College in 1997. 

 

Pieretta believed in the power of dreams and encouraged others to chase theirs, as well. She pushed younger people to go to college, after shepherding her youngest siblings to be the first in the family to earn degrees.

 

 In fact, she was a surrogate mother and grandmother to so many in her family and the community, her extended family.

 

For Peedy, education was the great equalizer, and she used her degrees and drive to inspire a new generation that extended beyond family to the greater Springfield community. She relished championing those with less and meeting the needs of those without and was known across the city by administrators and parents alike for her tireless efforts to get children to school.

 

Peedy stood as a community pillar, often collecting food and clothing for the less fortunate and donating to people (many times children) on the street. When she wasn’t doing the work herself, she made sure her children and grandchildren stepped up.

 

Well into her late years, Peedy took care of others, manifesting what her parents had instilled in all the children – be a blessing to others.