Donald Glenn Patterson, Sr.

PATTERSON, DONALD Donald Glenn Patterson “made his last flight” Sunday, joining the Lord he so truly believed in. The retired U.S. Naval aviator, of 606 Willow Creek Dr. in Woodway, died at his home. Services will be held at 11:00 am, Thursday, March 10, 2005 at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Stephen Ramsdell officiating. Burial will follow at 3:00 pm at Dallas Fort-Worth National Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 6-8 pm, Wednesday, March 9 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey funeral home. Mr. Patterson was born in Hillsboro in 1922, attended schools there and upon completion, attended Texas A & I now Texas A & M, Kingsville, University of Colorado, Old Dominion University, and George Washington University in Washington, D. C. where he earned his BA and did extensive graduate work. His parents were John and Mary Patterson. He joined the Navy in 1942 and was commissioned as a pilot in 1943. He served as a fighter pilot in both World War II and the Korean War on many aircraft carriers in the fleet, attaining the rank of Commander. He flew 150 missions in North Korea from the deck of USS Philippine Sea while flying propeller-driven Corsairs. He also served aboard USS Lake Champlain as Aircraft Handling Officer in the Mediterranean. He was Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron 94 in the Pacific, flying A-4 Skyhawks from USS Ranger. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, nine Air Medals, and Commendation Medal with combat “V”. He was aboard USS Valley Forge on an around-the-world cruise, the first such cruise since the Great White Fleet sailed the world in 1909. Mr. Patterson served on the staff of Commander Air Atlantic Fleet as the Fighter Desk Officer, and on the Staff of Chief, Naval Air Training Command as Acting Inspector General. He was Head, Analysis and Research Department of the Naval Aviation Safety Center in Norfolk, Virginia. After retiring from the Navy, he worked for several corporations in Washington and New York in management and medical services, developing an Emergency Medical Services Dispatch System for the District of Columbia, and traffic studies for New York City. He later served twelve years as Chief, Epidemiology and Evaluation Division, in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in Washington, D. C. before retiring to Waco 22 years ago. He served in a number of Waco community organizations, including the board of The Freeman Center as President and Board Member Emeritus, the Mental Health Association and the Waco Founder Lions Club. He also served on the Board of Lions District “Lions Effort Against Drugs” as President. He was a member of the Retired Officers Association and was active in the Order of Daedalians, a military pilots’ organization. Mr. Patterson also was a member of “The Chosin Few,” a group dedicated to remembrance of that conflict. He provided close air support to Marines in a legendary battle in the frozen Chosin Reservoir area of Korea in the winter of 1950. He also worked with area schools in support of their drug prevention and drug education programs for many years and started a Drug Prevention Day at Lions Park each year for area Girl Scouts. Mr. Patterson is survived by his wife, the former Margaret Moore of South Carolina. She resides at their home in Woodway. She cared for their family the many times that he served at sea. They married in 1944 and had one daughter, Janice Knight of Mansfield, and two sons, Donald, Jr., of Northern Virginia, and Randall, of San Antonio. Also surviving are two granddaughters daughters of Janice, Karen Crook Burgess of Austin and Julie Crook Cutrer of Houston. A grandson, Samuel, son of Janice and Frank Knight, lives with his parents in Mansfield. Great-grandchildren, Everett and Aubrey, live with their parents, Karen and Brian Burgess in Austin. Mr. Patterson’s sister, Hazel Bailey, lives in Woodway. Mr. Patterson’s pioneering grandfather came to Waco in 1872 and owned a general store on the Chisholm Trail where the Convention Center now stands. His brothers had arrived in Texas in 1858. Both grandfathers fought in The War Between the States. His mother’s first cousin was U. S. Senator Tom Connally of Marlin. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY