Patricia Thompson American philosopher and author. Date of Birth: 15.06.1926 Country: USA

Biography of Patricia Thompson

Patricia Thompson, also known as Yelena Vladimirovna Mayakovskaya, was an American philosopher and author. She was born on June 16, 1926, in New York City. Patricia's mother, Elli Jones, was a Russian immigrant and translator who spoke Russian, French, German, and English fluently. Patricia's father was the renowned poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, who visited New York in 1925 and fell in love with Elli. They had a secret romance that resulted in Patricia's birth.

However, Patricia's birth certificate listed her mother's former husband, George Jones, as her legal father. Despite the circumstances, George Jones treated Patricia as his own and raised her as his daughter. Patricia grew up speaking multiple languages, including English, Russian, French, and German.

As a child, Patricia faced discrimination from American children due to her foreign background. Determined to fit in, she decided to focus on learning English and gradually stopped using other languages. At the age of nine, Patricia learned the truth about her biological father, but her mother and stepfather urged her to keep it a secret.

After completing her education, Patricia pursued a career as an editor and writer. She worked for various popular magazines, including Macmillan Publishers, where she wrote reviews and edited a wide range of genres, including science fiction, westerns, novels, and detective stories. Patricia went on to write more than 20 books, including a memoir about her parents' love story titled "Mayakovsky in Manhattan."

In 1954, Patricia married Wayne Thompson-Sherman, an American. They had a son named Roger, who became an intellectual property lawyer. Roger later married and adopted a Colombian boy named Logan.

Patricia was a professor of philosophy and women's studies at Lehman College in New York. She also taught feminism at New York University. Patricia considered herself a feminist but believed in preserving the importance of the family and working for its well-being.

In 1991, after the death of Elli Jones and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Patricia visited Russia with her son. They were warmly received by Mayakovsky's relatives, friends, and admirers. Patricia even brought some of her mother's ashes to be placed between Mayakovsky's and his sister's graves at Novodevichy Cemetery.

According to records from 2015, Patricia expressed a desire to learn Russian again and obtain Russian citizenship. She passed away on April 1, 2016, and her body was cremated in the United States. In her will, Patricia requested that her ashes be scattered over her father's grave, carrying on the connection with her Russian heritage.