Jewel Patterson

Bellevue - Jewel Patterson, a longtime resident of Bellevue, passed away at home in Bell Mountain Village with family and loving caregivers from Bell Mountain and Hospice of the Wood River Valley by her side.

Jewel was born July 27, 1925 in Garland, Utah, to Alex and Della Gleed. She was the eighth child of 11 siblings. Jewel became a widow at the age of 19 when her husband Kenneth Van Leuven was killed in a tragic accident. The accident was from a practice in the 1940s to send train cars down the tracks without signals or warning at night. Kenneth’s tanker truck was struck, killing him instantly. From this marriage Jewel had two beautiful children, Kenny and Becky Van Leuven. A short marriage to Victor Remiggi would bring her third child, Vicki Lynn.

In 1950 she met and married the love of her life….. a tall handsome cowboy, Bill Patterson, of Gannett, Idaho, adding to her family two more daughters, Kathleen and Barbara Patterson.

Ranching life on the Baseline Road was where Jewel perfected her cooking skills, baking bread, mastering sourdough pancakes, canning and making her locally famous blue cheese dressing. Jewel loved feeding her family, friends, neighbors, ranch hands and anyone else who would walk through the door. Jewel would make so many pancakes daily that the ranch dogs would bury them in the livestock bedding pile, and Bill would find them in the spring when he would spread the pile in the fields. There were pancakes everywhere! Jewel was the host of all hosts. Her wonderful personality was great for hosting and bartending. She tended bar at several watering holes in the valley; Moonstone, Sam’s Club, and the Sweetwater Saloon are a few some may remember.

On the ranch, Jewel also became an amazing gardener. She would harvest her garden every fall, then can or freeze every vegetable or berry she could get her hands on. She would make her own homemade chokecherry wine, and enjoyed making her own home brews. Jewel was never afraid of trying new recipes or making up her own.

Jewel was a talented quilt maker, a craft she learned from her mother. Jewel was also a dance instructor; her studio was the living room, teaching the twist or jitterbug to anyone who wanted to learn. She had such a love for music that her Curtis Mathes stereo would be cranked up so loud that it would vibrate the pictures on the wall. She also loved to sing and play the guitar.

Jewel loved to read. Her favorite books were crime novels or mysteries. She had a huge collection of books. She also enjoyed reading all local papers, and would cut out any article or clipping of anyone she knew.

Jewel’s appearance was very important to her. She would always be picture perfect, with every hair in place, makeup perfect, and always beautifully dressed. The cowboys would always get a kick out of her coming down to the corrals in her high heels while Bill was branding cattle to let them know dinner was ready.

Jewel’s wisdom, wit and mere presence will be sorely missed by anyone who came to know her.

She is survived by her son, Kenny Van Leuven, his wife Cindy, and their children, Kirby Van Leuven, and Karri and her husband Mike Heda of Boise, Idaho; her daughter Becky Schooley of Woods Cross, Utah; her daughter Vicki Bradshaw and her children, Monique and husband Roger Jacketta, and Michelle and husband Bob Marriott of Woods Cross, Utah; her daughter Kathleen Swanson of Bellevue, Idaho, and her children Cody Swanson and fiancée Ali Golden of Fairfield, Idaho, and Brandon and wife Janie Swanson of Bellevue, Idaho; her daughter Barbara Patterson and partner in life Kelly Wardell, and their daughter Mandi and husband Aric Iverson, of Bellevue, Idaho.; her sister Fern Moser of Bountiful, Utah, and brother Dean Gleed of Logan, Utah; her sister-in-law Bonnie Svare of Sparks, Nev., along with many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Jewel was preceded in death by her husband Bill Patterson, parents Alex and Della Gleed, three brothers, five sisters, son-in-law Ron Schooley and great-granddaughter Brittani Rennels.

There will be a celebration of life in the spring, on a date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Hospice of the Wood River Valley, P.O. Box 4320, Ketchum, Idaho 83340. Arrangements are made under the care of Wood River Chapel of Hailey. www.woodriverchapel.com