Wylie M. “Pat” Patterson, 98-years-old, died on Friday, September 9, 2016 in Plano, Texas. Born October 12, 1917, on a farm outside of Buckholts, Texas, Pat helped farm the land with his father and R.T., his older brother, until the Great Depression forced the family to leave the farm and move to Rogers, Texas for employment at the town’s cotton gin.
Pat was fortunate to be able to attend Texas A&M University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering. While at Texas A&M, Pat met and fell in love with Frances Sonnenburg, a “big city girl” from Temple, Texas. They married in Houston in 1941 and were together until 1998 when Frances passed away in Temple. Pat’s brother R.T. also preceded him in death.
Pat began his career in 1941 and worked for 36 years in Texas City for the Pan American Oil Company which became the American Oil Company, then Amoco, and is now British Petroleum. Pat and Frances lived in LaMarque and were active members of the local Church of Christ until 1977 when he retired and they moved to Lake Belton outside of Temple. He resided there until 2008 when he moved to Plano to be closer to his daughter, Jeanie Virden.
Pat is survived by Jeanie and her husband Gerald, a son, Steven, and his wife Karen of Houston, Texas. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Lauren Cobb of Durham, North Carolina, Sherri Virden of Plano, and Doug Virden of McKinney, Texas. Three great-grandchildren are Avery Cobb of Durham, and Madeleine Virden and Chloe Virden of McKinney.
A service in celebration of Pat’s life will be held at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 10:00 am. A graveside service will follow on Wednesday in Temple, Texas. The family will receive friends during a visitation one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.