Dennis John Patterson, 68, a resident of Sedro-Woolley, passed away on Friday, August 16, 2013 at Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon, WA.
Dennis was born on November 1, 1944 in Glasgow, Montana, the son of Wesley & Mary Ellen Patterson. He was raised and attended school in Glasgow, graduating from Glasgow High School with the class of 1963. He then served his country with the U.S. Army for several years. After the service Dennis served his electrician’s apprenticeship in Glasgow. On July 2, 1966 he was united in marriage to Michelle Dehlbom and they made their home in Malta, MT.
Dennis then worked as an electrician for several contractors over the years, and the family made their home in several communities around Montana until moving to Skagit County in 1989, where Dennis worked as the Supervisor of Electrical Inspectors for the State of Washington for 18 years until his retirement in 2011. He was a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for over 35 years, working out of the IBEW Union Local 768 in Kalispell, MT and Union Local 191 out of Everett.
In his leisure time Dennis enjoyed fishing, writing poems, working with leather and watching fireworks.
Dennis is survived by his children and their spouses, Travis & Kellie Patterson of Lake Stevens, WA, Tichelle & Lester Berg of Athohl, ID and Troy & Jodeana Patterson of San Francisco, CA; 8 grandchildren, Lace & Logan Mitchell, Lilith & Jacob Berg and Tynan, Turner, Ravenna and Jaden King Patterson; his brother, Ralph Patterson and 3 sisters, Ruth Cimino, Martha Stanley and Margaret Swor, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Michelle in 2003 and by a brother Danny Patterson.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at 4:00 pm at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley. Memorials are suggested to Seattle Children’s Hospital, M/S 200, PO Box 50020, Seattle, WA 98145-5020 in memory of Dennis.
For those who couldn’t come to my dad’s service, I put a video on YouTube with all of the photos that ran as a slideshow.
You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1_sIX6Y4lw
I have many memories of Mitzi and Dennis and their children when they were young as I am Mitzi’s ex-sister-in-law. I was Mitzi’s attendant when her and Dennis married at that fireworks stand on July 2, 1966.
The water fights we would have were unreal. One in particular was when Dennis and Mitzi lived in Libby, Montana. Water was everywhere inside the house. When it came time to clean up the water I had a towel in hand and was on my knees mopping up water, I felt a tug at my end of my robe and here is Dennis using the end of my robe to mop up water behind me. Of course we were under if influence of alcohol and laughing our fool heads off. Even Mitzi’s mom was involved in the craziness and was soaked to the skin like the kids and other ” adults” were.
To Travis, Tichelle, and Troy,
Hold tight to the memories you have of your parents and family that have now died because those memories are now a treasure to last you through your lives.
Love,
Aunt Ginger
There are so many memories of Dennis. I had the pleasure of working with him and spending a few times fishing the Skagit River with him. Every morning when he arrived to work you could ask him how’s it going, he always replied “it’s got to go”. I remember his can do attitude and he did not let adversity get him down. He was a family man proudly telling many stories of raising his family, their travels and adventures. He would share stories of life in Montana. Dennis loved to cook the Thanksgiving turkey for the office potluck it was always delicious. I am lucky to have known him.