Lory Patrick, who appeared on popular shows like Bonanza and Wagon Train and had a lead role on NBC’s Tales of Wells Fargo, has died.
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Patrick passed away on Jan. 26 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, according to a publicist’s statement to The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death was not disclosed.
The actress was 92.
Patrick was married to actor Dean Jones, star of Disney films like That Darn Cat!, The Love Bug, and The Shaggy D.A., for 42 years until his death in September 2015. Her first husband was science-fiction writer Harlan Ellison; they married and divorced in 1966.
She was also a trailblazer. Patrick, whose real name was Lory Basham Jones, wrote episodes of the TV western Bonanza, a rare achievement for a woman in that era.
Before retiring from acting in the late 1960s, Patrick appeared in over 70 television series, according to IMDb. These included The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and Dr. Kildare, among others.
She also appeared in films such as Surf Party (1964) and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967).
Born Loretta Basham on April 8, 1933, in Beckley, West Virginia, Patrick moved to Detroit after high school to pursue modeling. She later relocated to New York City, where she worked in modeling and TV commercials. There, she eventually appeared on the NBC game show Split Personality.
After moving to Los Angeles, she appeared on The Loretta Young Show and was signed by Universal Studios. She co-starred with Dale Robertson in NBC’s Tales of Wells Fargo. By that time, she was using the stage name Lory Patrick.
Lory Patrick’s Career Beyond Acting
After retiring from acting, Patrick wrote for TV and film and became a columnist for a writer’s magazine. She also authored an award-winning devotional book, Hearing God, which received an “Excellence in Print” Award in 2000.
Meanwhile, Patrick directed the original stage production of St. John in Exile, starring her husband, Dean, in 1984. The play toured nationally and continues to be performed. Credited as Lory Basham Jones, Patrick also served as the stage director for the 1986 film adaptation starring Jones.
After Dean’s death in 2015, Patrick moved from Tarzana, California, to Gettysburg to be closer to her family.
She is survived by her children: Caroline Jones (and her husband, Steve Haugen), Deanna Demaree (and her husband, Tom Demaree), and Michael Pastick (and his wife, Dion Pastick). Eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren also survive her. Her surviving siblings include her brothers, Richard, Tom, and Paul Basham (and his wife, Ethel), as well as her sister, Carol Vanderhoof. Additionally, she is survived by other extended family members.