{{Portal|Christianity}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox clergy | name = Lynda Patterson | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1974|02|06|df=yes}} | birth_place = County Down, Northern Ireland | death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|07|20|1974|02|06|df=y}} | death_place = Christchurch, New Zealand | church = Anglican Church of New Zealand | other_names = | education = | ordained = | writings = | congregations = | offices_held = Dean of Christchurch (2013–14) | title = The Very Reverend | spouse = | children = | parents = | signature = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | footnotes = }} '''Lynda Jane Patterson''' (6 February 1974 – 20 July 2014) was a Northern Irish-born Anglican priest who was the 13th dean of Christchurch, New Zealand.<ref name="Anglican Taonga" /> She was the first woman to hold that position, serving from 2013 until her death in 2014.
==Early life== Patterson was born in County Down, Northern Ireland, to Cedric and Evelyn Patterson.<ref name="News Letter">{{Cite web|title = Shock as dean of 'cardboard cathedral' dies|url = http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/shock-as-dean-of-cardboard-cathedral-dies-1-6191652 | date=22 July 2014 | website = www.newsletter.co.uk|accessdate = 10 December 2015}}</ref> Patterson was educated at Dromore Central Primary School and Banbridge Academy.<ref name="Belfast Telegraph">{{Cite news|title = County Down preacher who became Dean of Christchurch |url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/county-down-preacher-who-became-dean-of-christchurch-30683354.html | date=22 October 2014 | work = Belfast Telegraph | accessdate = 10 December 2015}}</ref> She studied theology at Mansfield College, Oxford,<ref name="Press">{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/10289138/Cathedral-dean-Lynda-Patterson-dies | title= Cathedral dean Lynda Patterson dies | date=21 July 2014 | work=The Press | accessdate=21 July 2014 | first=Cate | last=Broughton}}</ref> then lectured there for twelve years.<ref name="Belfast Telegraph"/> While at Mansfield she served as Junior Dean, Junior Chaplain and later as Director of Studies.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/about/news/article/article/obituary.html|title = Obituary|date = 23 July 2014|accessdate = 10 December 2015|publisher = Mansfield College, Oxford|last = Muddiman|first = John|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20151211100719/https://www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/about/news/article/article/obituary.html|archivedate = 11 December 2015|df = dmy-all}}</ref>
==Career== After visiting New Zealand in 2002, she decided to emigrate there, living initially in Auckland where she learned Māori and studied for the ministry.<ref name="Anglican Taonga">{{cite web |url=http://anglicantaonga.org.nz/News/Tikanga-Pakeha/Christchurch-mourns-the-loss-of-Dean-Lynda-Patterson |title= Christchurch mourns the loss of Dean Lynda Patterson |date=20 July 2014 |website=Anglican Taonga |publisher=Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia |accessdate=21 July 2014}}</ref> She was ordained by David Coles as a deacon in 2004 and a priest in 2005.<ref name="Press 2013">{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/city-centre/9433615/Seeking-beauty-to-uplift-least-last-lost | title= Seeking beauty to uplift least, last, lost | date=23 November 2013 | work=The Press | accessdate=21 July 2014 | first=Mike | last=Crean}}</ref> The following year, she was appointed assistant dean of ChristChurch Cathedral, and director of Theology House in Merivale. She took over as acting dean following the resignation of Peter Beck in December 2011 and officially succeeded as dean on 1 November 2013, becoming the first woman to serve in that role.<ref name="Press 2013"/><ref>{{cite news | title=Dean dies | date=21 July 2014 | work=Timaru Herald | page=1}}</ref>
During the devastating 2011 Christchurch earthquake, Patterson was inside ChristChurch Cathedral with 19 other people.<ref name="News Letter"/>
==Death== Patterson died of natural causes at her home in Christchurch in July 2014.<ref name="Press" /> Two funerals were held for her: one in Christchurch; and one at Dromore Cathedral, Dromore, County Down.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Rev Lynda Patterson: Bishop's touching tribute|url = http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/northern-ireland-news/rev-lynda-patterson-bishop-s-touching-tribute-1-6217049| date=3 August 2014 | website = www.newsletter.co.uk|accessdate =10 December 2015}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Deans of Christchurch}} {{Province of New Zealand}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Patterson, Lynda}} Category:1974 births Category:2014 deaths Category:People educated at Banbridge Academy Category:Alumni of Mansfield College, Oxford Category:Anglicans from Northern Ireland Category:Christian clergy from County Down Category:Academics of the University of Oxford Category:Scholars and academics from County Down Category:Emigrants from Northern Ireland to New Zealand Category:Religious leaders from Christchurch Category:Deans of Christchurch Category:21st-century New Zealand Anglican priests Category:Women Anglican clergy