Elizabeth Sommerville Melvin Patterson, 80, a five-year resident of the Blakehurst retirement community in Towson and a lifelong resident of Annapolis, died July 24 at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital in Virginia. Known as “Libby” and “Nanny,” Mrs. Patterson was born Feb. 10, 1923, in Annapolis, the daughter of the late Judge Ridgely P. and Augusta Burwell Melvin.

A homemaker, she loved to travel and read, and was a member of St. Anne’s Parish and the Hamilton Street Club. Her husband of 55 years, Donald H. Patterson, former publisher of The (Baltimore) Sun and president of the A.S. Abell Co., died Dec. 2, 1997.

She was the sister of the late Judge Ridgely P. Melvin Jr., Augusta Melvin Torgerson and Mary Melvin Clark.

Surviving are two sons, Donald H. Patterson Jr. of Virginia Beach, Va., and Timothy C. Patterson of Annapolis; two daughters, Elizabeth P. Langslet of Montvale, N.J., and Susan P. Davis of Annapolis; one brother, John B. Melvin of North Carolina; 14 grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 199 Duke of Gloucester St. Burial will follow in Christ Church Cemetery in West River.

Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, can be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 8424 Veterans Highway, Millersville, MD 21108.