Shelia Patterson was sworn in on January 2nd 2025 as the new Henderson County Coroner, replacing Bruce Farmer, who recently announced his retirement. Patterson has worked as a deputy coroner here since 2007 and has been the chief deputy over the last six months.
A Henderson native, Shelia graduated from County High in 1971 and earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Henderson Community College in 1973. She worked as a registered nurse at Medco Nursing Home and then Redbanks Nursing Home before joining Methodist Hospital as an RN in 1980. From 1982 to 2012 she served as the hospital’s Nursing House Supervisor.
Shelia and her late husband, Nathan, have two children and five grandchildren, all of whom live in Henderson County.
Patterson will serve out the rest of Farmer’s current term in office, which will end in 2026.