Pat Grainger was born in a little and little-known town in southern North Carolina called Clarkton. Her parents were farmers, raising tobacco, cattle and hogs. Their greatest yield, however, was imbuing in their children the value of education. Pat Grainger Although he never went to college, “My father was very determined that his children get a college education,” Pat recounts. “From the time we were in diapers, we all heard, ‘You will go to college. You will get a college diploma.’” Although he never went to college, “My father was very determined that his children get a college education,” Pat recounts. “From the time we were in diapers, we all heard, ‘You will go to college. You will get a college diploma.’”

So Pat went to East Carolina University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. She majored in Grammar Grade Education. And Library Science. While she was at it, in addition to her double major, she minored in both Math and Psychology – and graduated in three years.

Now it was Pat’s turn to educate others and instill a love of learning. Her first job was teaching 4th graders in Columbus County for one year. Then, in 1968, she and her husband Frank moved to Cary. Pat went to work at what was then called Cary Junior High. “I worked with just 7th and 8th grade students. I had about 900 students,” Pat recalls. “And I was just totally amazed that one town could have 900 kids the same age when, in Clarkton, if you counted the dogs and cats, we had 500!”

Pat and Frank had two children of their own – Michelle and Frank, II. “I’m just so lucky to have been blessed by two wonderful children. Most of their friends call me ‘Momma Pat.’ They love to show up and have meals – and have me bake birthday cakes. My daughter’s friends would always invite me to their parties. And, of course, my bedtime was sooner than theirs, but at least I could help them throw the party together and get decorations up.” Michelle married in 2002 and, says Pat, “now I have a ‘second son’ (Mike) because he loves my daughter just as much as I do – and I think that’s pretty special.”

Not satisfied with a double-major, double-minor, Pat went back to East Carolina University to earn a master’s degree in Library Science. In the mid-1980s and divorced from Frank, Pat went to North Carolina State University to get her certification in Special Education to enable her to tutor students in addition to teaching full-time. “I thoroughly enjoyed tutoring and helping children catch up,” Pat says, sincerely. These students often had attention deficits. “Most were dyslexic. Any learning challenges – I don’t like the word ‘handicaps’.”

Pat’s own son had learning challenges. “I told him, ‘There have been many famous people that have the same learning challenges you have – and they have done a lot for the world. It’s because you see the world differently that we can hope you can do a lot.’”

For 33 years – 32 within the Wade County School System – Pat was a teacher dedicated to the children of her community. In 1999, she cut back to part-time, working in the media center. In 2003, she retired. Thinking back, Pat says with conviction, “I thoroughly enjoyed the job. I had wonderful students, fantastic parents, great volunteers – and the staff was just so fantastic. They really thought of students first and did so much to make sure the students achieved and did the best that they could do. I felt like each Cary teacher had high expectations. And when you have high expectations of students, they will work to please you. When you’ve got outstanding teachers expecting great things, students achieve great things.”

Even in retirement, Pat remains involved with education – and the importance of grooming tomorrow’s quality educators. Nominated into Alpha Delta Kappa, the International Honorary Sorority for Women Educators, Pat is active in their Beta Omicron chapter in Raleigh. “We raise money during the year and are usually lucky to be able to give out one or two $1,000 scholarships to students who have the intentions of going to college to be a teacher. If they live through the first two years of teaching,” Pat says with a laugh, “usually they get hooked on the euphoria of seeing children learn.”

Coming from a small town, Pat has always appreciated the warmth and support that comes from a close-knit community. She belongs to two church “families” – “I go to First United Methodist Women’s Circle – I’m part of the Friendship Circle. And then the other church family I have is St. Francis United Methodist.” Pat also looks forward to becoming part of the SearStone community. Pat had seen some ads for SearStone in the newspaper. Then a friend became a Priority Member. “She had joined and she was very impressed - and she’s just a wonderful person. And I felt, if she was investing in SearStone, it would be something worthy of me investigating. So I called and set up an appointment with Chase Haddix. I told him I wanted him to come talk to my daughter and me at the same time. Michelle lives in Illinois right now, but she comes home at least a week out of every month. So Chase came and talked to us. And then Michelle and I talked and I said, ‘You know, I can’t see any downside to this.’ And she said, ‘I don’t either.’ After further review by her daughter and son-in-law, Pat became a SearStone Priority Member.

What sold her? Many things. “For me, it was the fact that it’s a continuing care facility. And that they’re doing things with their Priority Members prior to moving in - so you’ll know people that are going to be living there with you - and maybe take road trips or go down to the symphony.”

The numerous aspects of financial security were also reassuring to her: “I like the fact that, even though I’ve been careful and tried to save, if for some reason my money disappears before I disappear off the face of the earth, I did not realize that SearStone will take care of me. If I run out of funds, they’re not going to kick me out on the street and say, ‘Well, you can’t pay your dues. You’re out.’”

“A big thing that was a selling point to me,” Pat continues, “was that, when I buy my residence, the cost that I invest in the residence will go back to my estate. I also like the fact that the people who’ve been helping me with my finances all my life can continue to do so. And Chase encouraged that. I let my financial advisor go over everything and make sure they’re on board. And I think, when you have a well-established system, you’re not afraid for anyone to look at your books or go over anything. And that impressed me.”

How does Pat feel about the town of Cary itself? She’s certainly witnessed many changes over the past 38 years: “When we came in December of ’68, there weren’t even 6,000 people in the town.” So does she like the Cary of today? “Absolutely. Cary has a lot of things going for it. It’s close to a large airport, but yet it’s far enough away we don’t hear too many of the airplanes. It’s close to the Research Triangle. We can enjoy all the advantages of living in a large metropolitan area - of course it’s not that far to go to Raleigh or even if you want to go to Charlotte. It’s a wonderful location. You just can’t ask any better. It’s a great bargain for your dollar.”

SearStone will be Pat’s community-within-the-Cary-community. She reports that three people from her Friendship Circle are now also Priority Members, with another two interested.

Overall, Pat concludes, “I’m very proud of my state, I’m pleased with the progress North Carolina has made through the years, and I certainly feel like I was blessed with being raised in a small community in a farming area where everybody knew everybody. It reminds me of the old song, ‘Dear hearts and gentle people who live in my home town.’ And even though Cary is a super-large place now, to me, there are still thousands and thousands of dear hearts and gentle people that live in Cary and make it so wonderful for all of us.”

Pat Grainger is one of them.