Emily Fairfax Whittle
This memorial leaf tile is to honor my mother Emily Fairfax Whittle Joffee. I know her only through the eyes and memories of my father and my godmother (her best friend). She was born in Atlanta Georgia on December 22 1901 the only child of Louisa Toombs Hansel and Francis McNeice Whittle. Em (to her friends) attended private schools in Atlanta and graduated from Florida State College for Women where she was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority. She met her future husband (my father) while visiting an uncle who was the commanding officer at Ft. Benning Georgia. Joff (as he was called) left the University of Missouri and volunteered for service during World War I. He was commissioned in France and chose to make the army his career. Following their marriage on November 12 1923 they were posted at Ft. Knox Kentucky where I Patricia Louise was born November 13 1926. Their next move was to Ft. Benning where by brother Thomas Fairfax was born December 10 1929. For health reasons Dad was transferred to Colorado where we lived in Quarters 13 at Ft. Logan Army Post outside of Denver. Inadvertently (and sadly) the dairy supplying Ft. Logan allowed some unpasteurized milk to be delivered. Only mother and I drank it and we both developed severe strep infections and were taken to Fitzsimons Army Hospital where mother died on February 7 1932 leaving her husband with two small children to rear. He was a remarkable man who taught us good manners and to enjoy opera. Little did I know growing up in Denver Colorado that one day in Tucson Arizona I would honor through memorial tiles at the University of Arizona the two most important women in my life - Emily Fairfax Whittle Joffee who gave me life and my daughter Barbara Fairfax Bowman Durning to whom I gave life. Patricia Louise Joffee Bowman Written March 13 2005