Donald Sutton Patterson, 75, a longtime resident of Chapel Hill, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 10, 2011. Born Sept. 30, 1935 in Pekin, Ill., he was the son of the late John Sutton Patterson and Alma Grove Patterson. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Doris Oliver Patterson; his son, Donald Sutton Patterson Jr.; and two granddaughters, Abbie Worth Patterson and Nina Rouse Anderson.
Mr. Patterson graduated from Greensboro High School in 1954 and from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1958, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. He then attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy, where he served for four years. After moving to Chapel Hill in 1964, he was employed by IBM until his retirement in 1996. He also served on Gov. Hunt’s N.C. Foundation for Advanced Health Programs Inc. as an “on-loan†representative of IBM. Don was a member of The Church of the Holy Family, the Chapel Hill Kiwanis Club and a former president of the CHCC.
Mr. Patterson is survived by his wife of 30 years, Frances Yost Patterson; his daughter, Pamela P. Anderson and husband, John, of Charlotte; daughter-in-law, Lisa O. Patterson of Cary; Mark and Christy Yost and Scott Yost, of Greensboro; Sharon and Gene Dente of New Jersey; and two brothers, J. Richard Patterson and wife, Anne Wayne, of Danville, Va., and Scott G. Patterson and wife, Robin, of Easton, Md. In addition, he is survived by eight grandchildren, Hayden and Sutton Patterson, Mary Oliver and J.T. Anderson, Parker and Reese Yost and Brandon and Sarah Dente.
Don was a loving husband, a wonderful father, an adoring grandfather and a loyal friend to many. His greatest delights were his grandchildren and the Carolina Tar Heels. He will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Church of the Holy Family, The American Cancer Society or Step Ahead Inc., 54 Main St., Suite 201, Succasunna, NJ 07876.