J.D. Patten

J.D. Patten passed away at age 99; ten days shy of celebrating his
100th birthday. Invitations had already been mailed. Fittingly, his
life ended on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007 in the hospital founded largely
because of his efforts and influence.
Birth did not come easy at the beginning of the 20th Century, when John
Drawdy Patten Jr. entered the world Oct. 28, 1907 at the ancestral
Patten homestead a few miles north of Milltown now Lakeland. His
parents were John and Lona Davis Patten, Sr.
During his final weeks of declining health J.D. must have looked back
at the years between 1907 and 2007. Many of them were not easy, but
great would have been his satisfaction in knowing that for hundreds of
friends, neighbors, and business associates he had made burdens lighter.
He probably recalled his boyhood days on the farm as one of a family
of ten children, when times where very hard, before the days of
electricity and the telephone. His father, J.D. Sr., moved his family
to Milltown in 1924.
He recalled the years he worked for his beloved Uncle Bob, as his farm
manager and his right-hand-man in the operation of the R.L. Patten &
Co. store. He probably chuckled a little while remembering his days as
deputy sheriff with his uncle Sheriff Ollin Spence. He would surely
have reminisced about his service as Chairman of the County Commission,
as City Councilman, and as Mayor of Lakeland. He remembered his
customers at the family owned and operated Patten Milling Co. And most
definitely the years at Patten Seed Company before retiring. He proudly
wore the yellow and green “Super Sod” hat and had asked for a new one
the day before his death.
One of his proudest accomplishments was the re-opening of Louis Smith
Memorial Hospital in September 1958 after closing in 1953. As a member
of the county commission board he and the other two members were able
to secure the services of the Georgia Conference of Adventist to take
over the operation of the hospital. Bringing the community together in
doing everything from raising the needed $40, 000 for equipment to the
making of the curtains for the 21 rooms, he helped to put into place a
health facility that has served the community for nearly fifty years.
Appropriately the hospital was dedicated “to the services of suffering
humanity and to the honor and glory of God.”
J.D. Patten was devoted to the First Baptist Church, where he served
many years as a deacon. He took pride in his heritage and was a magnet
and historical authority for all of the living Pattens. But most of all
he was devoted to Alene, his beloved wife of 77 years, and their four
children, John Evans, Donald, Nanette, and Hilda.
Survivors include his wife of 77 years, Alene O’Quinn Patten; two
daughters and son-in-law, Nanette and Bill Davis, Hilda Patten; two
sons and daughters-in-law, Rev. John Evans and Nanette Patten, Donald
and Emma Patten; one sister, Helen Warriner of Summit Point, W.Va.; 11
grandchildren, Terry and Rocky Moore, Suzanne and Jerry Mathis, Becky
and Gerry Harris, Pat and Kay Patten, Cheryl and Ricky Pounds, Donnie
Patten, JoAnn and Bill Fort, Donna and Rick Fenchel, Laurie and Rick
Sheehan, Randy and Tina Patten and Bill and Robin Davis; 26
great-grandchildren; and seven great- great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007 at the
First Baptist Church of Lakeland with entombment to follow in the
Greenlawn Cemetery Mausoleum. Mr. Patten will be placed in the church
one hour prior to the service. The family will receive friends at the
funeral home from 2-4 p.m. and from 6-8 p.m. today. One of Mr. Patten’s
passions was the upkeep of the Old Union “Burnt Church” Cemetery.
Friends and family may choose to give to the Burnt Church Cemetery
Fund, P.O. Box 426, Lakeland, GA 31635.
Sympathy may be expressed online at www.musicfuneralservices.com . —
Music Funeral Services of Lakeland