Patty Roper

Patty Roper’s reputation for excellence has given her work a place on coffee tables throughout the South. She is known, through her books and magazine column, for using a classic, practical approach to entertaining.

Roper is editorial director of Mississippi Magazine (mismag.com), a bimonthly lifestyle publication with emphasis on homes and entertainment. Roper’s hugely popular column Easy Does It has generated a devoted following during its 16-year run by offering innovative ways to make every occasion special with minimal effort and expense. “I like to show my readers the best of the old and the new, including tried-and-true Southern recipes paired with the latest culinary delights, and excellent entertaining and decorating how-to’s,” said Roper.

She is also the author of four entertaining and decorating books including her latest release, Easy Parties And Wedding Celebrations, (Quail Ridge Press, 2009) in which she instructs readers on how to create beautiful and elegant tablescapes while using delicious, tried-and-true recipes and menus.

Through the years Roper has served Mississippi Magazine in various capacities, including editing, working in advertising and other support roles. With a self-taught skill for interior design, she also arranges many of the beautiful rooms and table displays that appear in the publication. She began writing for the magazine in the early 1990s after penning the first Easy Does It column as a last-minute addition for an issue. The column received an immediate response from readers and soon became a regular feature.

“Entertaining is an integral part of our lives in the South – a way of sharing the milestones of life with others through our gracious hospitality. Our children grow up tasting delicious family recipes served on heirloom china and silver and hearing memorable stories of relatives and friends,” says Roper, “I truly love to entertain.”

A Mississippi native, Patty and husband Richard have one daughter, Beth. They currently live in Flowood, Mississippi.