Dawn Patterson of Towanda, Illinois, who turned her two-car garage next to her home into a Route 66 tourist destination called DK’s Garage, died last week after a brief illness. She was 59.
Catherine Stevanovich of the Illinois Route 66 Association wrote some thoughts about Patterson in an email:
If Dawn’s garage overhead door was open – you were welcome to stop and visit!! Her garage was a wonderful 66-inspired place where she displayed gifts she had received from friends and travelers, and also sold Route 66 trinkets and even had her own “DK’s Garage” t-shirt! Dawn would sit at an old retro kitchen set as people wandered in and out, signed the guestbook, and posed with her shapely mannequin “greeter.”
She knew a lot about the road and often helped people with their lists of what to see and where to go in other states.
During past Red Carpet corridor events, her garage door was not only open, but often the band Wagon Load of Trouble would grace the driveway for entertaining! Dawn was a gracious hostess and loved the interaction she had with 66 travelers whether they were from Bloomington-Normal or Finland!
In June of 2012, the Route 66 Association of Illinois presented her with the President’s Award for sharing her Route 66 display and her Route 66 knowledge and passion with Mother Road travelers from all over the world who came to her Route 66 garage as strangers and left as friends.
Dawn closed her garage in May 2017 and spent the months after that selling off her souvenirs and keepsakes.
Dawn loved her family and treated everyone like family. She loved the Cubs and was so happy to see them win the World Series. She was also a huge Miami Dolphin fan.
She is survived by her sister, Lisa Golding; sister-in-law Kathie Delong Patterson; and a sister, Gail (Bob) Ricketts; as well as nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to Golding at P.O. Box 76, Towanda, IL 61776 or the charity of the donor’s choice.
Patterson was one of the distinctive characters of Route 66 that made the journey of travelers more memorable and kept them coming back.
(Image of Dawn Patterson at DK’s Garage courtesy of Catherine Stevanovich)
I was privileged to have twice visited Dawn’s slice of Route 66 heaven. She was a nice and gracious hostess. I hope her collection of Route 66 memorabilia falls into good hands. I contributed a refrigerator magnet to her collection.