SEAL COVE – Patricia Yearout “Patti’ Wharton, 74, died June 1, 2011, in Seal Cove, after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, which she faced with much grace, courage and dignity. Born April 1, 1937, in Waynesboro, Augusta County, Va., she was the daughter of Paul W. Yearout and Elizabeth Henry Yearout, both of Chickamauga, Ga.
After accompanying her family to various U.S. Army posts during her father’s World War II service and living with relatives in Georgia while he was fighting in Germany, she returned with her family to Virginia where she graduated from Waynesboro High School in 1954. In 1957, she married Edwin Kirby “Ned” Wharton of Fairhope, Ala., a 1956 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1958, she completed her degree and graduated from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia. After life as a Navy wife in Norfolk, Va., Charleston, S.C., and New London, Conn., she accompanied Ned to the Maryland suburbs of Washington, where they lived for 30 years pursuing careers and raising twin sons. Her marketing career began by promoting local artists, and continued to include newspapers and advertising agencies before becoming corporate marketing director for a private health care company in Towson, Md., which operated 35 nursing, rehabilitation and retirement centers in a five-state area in the East and Midwest sections of the country. While living in Maryland, she undertook photography studies at Loyola College and Maryland Institute College of Art. In 1989, Patti and Ned retired and moved to their house overlooking Seal Cove on Mount Desert Island. In Maryland, she had poured her energy into amateur theater where she created set designs and entertained in many leading roles. In Maine, she developed her creative interests in fiber arts; first needlepoint and then rug hooking, lately working with the local group “The Hook & I.” In 2009, the Mount Desert Island Historical Society honored her work in fostering rug hooking in the area. These pursuits, along with boating, hiking, photography, birding, reading – especially with her book discussion group – and writing family memoirs, as well as cooking and entertaining defined Patti for her friends. For many years she put her talents to work as a trustee and as a volunteer to raise funds for Southwest Harbor Public Library, especially through the garden tour and the book sale events. She was also pleased to see her idea of continuing education for the retirement community of Mount Desert Island become a reality. She was part of the core group that established Acadia Senior College, and served as its board’s first vice president.
She is survived by her husband, Ned; her sons, Paul Kirby Wharton and Edwin Scott Wharton; grandchildren, Edwin Kyle Wharton, Conrad James Wharton and Maura Elizabeth Wharton, all of Alaska; also by her sister, Emma E. Yearout of Waynesboro, Va.; her brother, Paul H. Yearout of Mount Pleasant, S.C.; and several nieces and nephews and their children.
Her ashes will be scattered by her family. A memorial concert and reception will be announced at a later date. Patti requested that memorial gifts be made to Southwest Harbor Public Library, P.O. Box 157, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679.