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Cultivator of the Literary Life of Oregon

Patricia Wixon MALS 鈥�77

July 17, 2024.

Patty was born in Spokane, Washington. She was a musical student, singing in a select choir and mastering five instruments, including the bassoon (which she played for All-Northwest Band).

After high school, Patty took college classes for 20 years, finally earning a bachelor’s degree from Western Oregon University and a master’s degree from Reed. “[I have] attended several colleges,” she wrote in 1989. “Reed gave me the best, most valuable education of any!”

For 20 years, Patty was married to Peter G. Stone, with her six children born in five different states because of Peter’s Air Force assignments. She also taught at Perrydale High School and McNary High School in Salem, where she met and married Vince Wixon.

Throughout her life, Patty had a passion for poetry, publishing four books of her poems and hosting an annual poetry program featuring Oregon poets laureate and many poets from the Rogue Valley. Committed to fostering a love for writing in others, she directed the Oregon Writing Project in three school districts (and held administration positions in Central Point, Eagle Point, and Ashland).

In addition to serving on the board of Friends of Hannon Library at Southern Oregon University, Patty was an organizing member of the Friends of William Stafford. She helped establish the Stafford Archives, housed at Lewis & Clark College, producing 97 CDs of over 40 years of the poet William Stafford’s readings, workshops, and lectures.

Patty also organized the International Writers Series in Ashland, an extension of  the Mountain Writers Series in Portland. Each school year, the series brought well-known writers to do readings in the Rogue Valley and teach high school students and faculty.

In 2014, Patty and Vince were awarded the Stewart H. Holbrook Literary Legacy Award for their contributions to the literary life of Oregon. Patty is also remembered for her chocolate truffles and her 20-year tenure as a costume stitcher for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Patty is survived by her husband, Vince, and her children, Delight Stone, Michael Stone, Gordon Stone, Beth Pepper, Larry Stone, and Eric Stone.

Appeared in Reed magazine: Winter 2025