By the Family

Sep. 23, 2015:  Patricia Fleming Elliott, wife of Anson Wright Elliott, died on September 18, 2015, at her home in Bronxville after a courageous battle with cancer. 

Patsy was born on January 3, 1935, in Berkeley, California, and moved with her family to New Orleans as a young girl. She graduated from Isidore Newman School in New Orleans in 1953 and from H. Sophie Newcomb College in 1957, where she received a BA in sociology with a minor in psychology and was a member of the women's fraternity Pi Beta Phi. She received a master's degree from Tulane University School of Social Work in 1977. 

As a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), she devoted most of her professional life to helping the underprivileged, working for Big Brothers of Greater New Orleans and Catholic Charities counseling departments in New Orleans. Later in her career, she worked part-time in two private mental health practices.

She was highly regarded as an excellent therapist. Colleagues recall her genuine sense of warmth and authenticity and her ability to put people at ease through her gracious, non-judgmental style and wonderful sense of humor. She is remembered as bright, inquisitive, and always open to learning new ideas in her field, maintaining her licenses to practice in both New York and Louisiana until the time of her death. 

She was a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) from 1976 and she was a board certified diplomate in clinical social work (BCD); she also held the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) certification.

She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in New Orleans and was affiliated with Christ Church Bronxville. Among numerous volunteer commitments, she was a founding board member of Gramatan Village, a nonprofit organization in Bronxville dedicated to helping older adults live confidently in their homes. An avid ballerina in her younger years, she also served on the board of Ballet Hysell in New Orleans. As a young lady, she was chosen to be a maid in the courts of the Krewe of Mystery and the Krewe of Dorians and was also queen of the New Orleans Spring Fiesta. She was a member of the Orleans Club.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George Bernard Fleming and Josephine Tilden Fleming. She is survived by her husband, Wright Elliott, her daughters, Lizabeth Wittmann Guerry (David) and Louisa Wittmann Post (David), and her sons, Michael Elliott (Karen Richey), Stephen Elliott (Daniela), and David Elliott (Margaret). She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, Matthew and Michael Guerry, Claire, Christian, and Phillip Peter Frederiksen, Cara, Conner, Caitlyn, Sophie, Charlotte, Daisy, Caroline, and Rowan Elliott, and William Post.

Private services will be held in New Orleans. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jansen Hospice, 670 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583.