Tisha Clark Patton

Tisha was born as Tisha Maree Clark on October 2, 1956, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She grew up in Ringgold, Georgia. Her love for accompaniment began at the age of 14, when she started playing piano for her home church. She received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Master of Music in Piano Performance from West Georgia University in Carrollton, Georgia.

She spent a brief period pursuing a pre-doctoral program to become a concert pianist at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where she met James Curtis Patton. They married on April 10, 1982, and she became Tisha Clark Patton. They remained together for 43 years, up through the moment she was received into Heaven.

Although her degrees were in performance, her true passion was for accompaniment. She played for singers, instrumentalists, and choirs. She enjoyed playing for young, amateur musicians and professionals alike. She also provided accompaniment for a myriad of churches for over 54 years. Eventually, she settled at John Wesley United Methodist Church, which became her musical and spiritual haven for the last decade of her life.

Due to complications caused by her ovarian cancer, on February 1, 2026, Tisha made the choice to enter hospice care at Good Samaritan and go home to God. She passed away peacefully at Hospice of Hamilton in the early morning on February 6, 2026.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Houston and Maree Clark. She is survived by her beloved husband Jim and treasured daughter Iris Andrea Patton, brother Richard Clark, sister-in-law Jimmie Lou Clark, niece Autumn Johnson Clark, nephew Bryan Clark, and foster sister Anita McKaig. Special friends who survive her include Becki Chesnes, Lila Butts, Sue Combs, Joanna Duhaime, Maria Miller, Don and Susan Moser, Dr. Kathy Swafford-Heath, Donna Lell, and Susan Woodward. Additional thanks go to Rev. Kalamba Kilumba and Minister Dave Conaway for performing her last rites and visiting her frequently in her final hours.

In honor of Tisha, who mentally tracked the names of all of her oncology nurses, the family would like to recognize some of the nurses who tended to her in her final days. From the MSICU at Good Samaritan, they recognize Taylor, Jade, Pauleen, and Bethany. From the oncology ward at Good Samaritan, they recognize Hope, Kimberly, Neidre, Tammy, and Emmalyn. From Hospice of Hamilton, they recognize Bobbie, Roberta, Gina, and Judy. Exceptional recognition goes to Taylor, who cheered Tisha’s spirits with her humor; Jade, who tirelessly responded to requests through the most difficult early hours; Pauleen, who embraced Tisha, Jim, and Iris and assured them they would persevere; Tammy, whose advocacy allowed Tisha to receive the right comfort care more quickly; Hope, who embraced Iris and Jim and offered her prayers; and Bobbie, who attended to Tisha in the moment of her passing. Lastly, the family would like to recognize Amy, the hospice consultant from Hospice of Cincinnati, who coordinated Tisha’s transfer through Good Samaritan and to Hospice of Hamilton.