Sue Patton Compassion for Animals Fund
For those who had the privilege of knowing Sue Patton, it is difficult to separate the work she did from the way she made people feel. Sue brought warmth, compassion, humor, and a deep sense of care into the Madison County Community Foundation every day.
As MCCF’s Director of Finance, Sue was exceptionally good at what she did. She loved numbers, took seriously the responsibility of stewarding the Foundation’s resources, and helped ensure that those resources could continue doing good throughout Madison County. But Sue was so much more than her title. She was a trusted coworker, a friend, an advocate, and someone who genuinely cared about the people around her.
Sue believed deeply in love, acceptance, inclusion, and treating every person with dignity. Those values were evident in her relationships, her volunteer work, her love for her family, and the way she approached her work at the Foundation. She listened well, cared deeply, and had a way of making people feel seen and welcomed.
That compassion extended to animals as well. Sue was an animal lover, and her beloved cat, Peyton, held a particularly special place in her heart.
Following Sue’s passing, the Sue Patton Compassion for Animals Fund was established at Madison County Community Foundation as a lasting way to honor a part of Sue that those closest to her knew well. The field of interest fund will support organizations and efforts that care for animals throughout Madison County.
It feels especially fitting that Sue, who spent her career at MCCF helping care for resources that would serve this community far into the future, will now have an endowment bearing her name. Through it, her compassion will continue to reach beyond her lifetime, caring for animals, strengthening the community she loved, and carrying forward a little more of the kindness Sue gave so freely to all of us.