Isabelle Carol Ann Patton
“Fixed in my heart, the picture of your smile. Engraven, ever present to mind’s eye. Not pain, nor years, nor sorrow can defile.” In her last days, through the obvious pain and discomfort that she was experiencing, and with the inability to fully vocalize her thoughts, Isabelle smiled at me. It was repeated a couple of more times before our FaceTime call together ended. A vision for me to hold onto for the rest of time. But Isabelle’s beauty goes much, much deeper than her smile, her engaging eyes and outward appearance. As cliché as it is to say, it was definitely what was inside that counted. And where to begin here is difficult and easy – as her spirit was all encompassing and wide ranging. She was my queen, my friend, my lover, my confidant and my all. To know her was to know that she made you feel like you were the only one that mattered at that moment. Her attention to whomever she was conversing with was a big part of her uniqueness – her mindfulness of the person in front of her was always on. The pivotal essence of Isabelle’s life was people. It was part of what she was by way of interaction with her fellow man/woman. She came by it naturally to make those around her feel important – everyone received high doses of her generous spirit. Isabelle was an artist of many mediums. She dabbled in pastels and acrylics on the canvas and paper world. Her artistry extended to presentation and setup of window displays in PEC’s bookstore that included current and past cultural matters mixed with her flare for creativity. Then, of course, there was our home – a house decorated with retro furniture pieces along with modern touches and, of course, her beloved art. But I believe Isabelle’s greatest canvas was herself. She exhibited the best of what humans can be. She gave of herself by way of her incredible and wonderfully vibrant personality. She had unwavering companionship and love for all her family and friends. I’ll take a moment here to share a note sent to me by a good friend from what he felt and witnessed about Isabelle – “I hope it gives you some comfort to know that there were some traits and characteristics of Isabelle’s that I truly admired. For example, calling someone at work to sing them an old theme song to brighten their day, is one of the purest forms of kindness and selflessness that I have witnessed in recent years. (Note – she did this for many people during our recent world pandemic.) What a doll…her positivity on life and what it had to offer, is something I wish I could achieve, but apparently it is for the kindest and purest. I have seen her interact with a few customers and was astounded at how she made them feel. She did an adorable dance for an older couple. They honestly walked away with smiles that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. That’s a whole lot above and beyond retail duties. What a gift to the world. These are not trainable aspects of one’s life. You can train skills, but you can’t train personality. I will forever miss dear Isabelle – as she was the ray of sunshine that so many of us needed.” In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different. Isabelle to me was that different and unique individual that brought fulfillment to my being. Never before, and I doubt ever again, do I expect to come across a person so genuine and true. So real, so much fun. A person who made me feel so alive. I think of nervous tingles of her touch that I know will not dwindle with time. The meaningful conversations and her thoughts that struck my soul with truth I’ve only slightly ever before experienced. To you Isabelle – I have moments in my mind, crystal clear images of you and me and how we fit together. Time with you was precious. Whether we were whispering, talking or yelling. I loved you so deeply and even when it wasn’t all fun, I could always look at you and say as I do now, “yes, you are the one”. Nothing is learned until it is shared. Isabelle was a princess (my queen) and through all the pain and beauty in the world, Isabelle had an incredible joy she felt for life. She will leave a permanent mark etched on our hearts and will be supremely missed by all who she touched. I know she would want you to spend more time with your children, take a walk on the beach with your loved ones and make a toast to enduring friendships lifelong and beyond. In addition, she would hope that you would do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for some poor, unfortunate soul or any other of the 7 billion of us. We’re all in this together, let’s make the best of it. This is what Isabelle would wish for you. Long live the beauty that comes down and through and onto all of us. With endless love, Mark.