Obituary of Charles S. Patterson

Charles S. "Pat" Patterson, 87 of Point Pleasant, passed away Friday, November 5, 2010 at the Ocean Medical Center after a short illness with his family at his side. Born in East Orange, NJ and raised in Cranford, NJ, Pat graduated from Cranford High School in the Class of 1941. After high school he attended NC State University where he played on the NC State Football Team. Pat graduated form NC State in 1948 with a degree in industrial engineering. In 1943 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps becoming a Bombardier/Navigator flying in B-17's and B-29's. He retired from the U.S.A.F. Continental Air Command active reserve in 1958. He was employed as an engineer for RCA-Victor in Edison, NJ. After retiring in 1977 he and his loving wife, Anne, bought and operated a hardware store in Monson, ME. Following his full retirement, they moved to Seaford, DE. After the death of his wife in 2004, Pat moved to Point Pleasant to live with his son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Liza Patterson. Throughout his adult life Pat was dedicated to civil service and volunteering his time and energies to the towns and areas where he lived. He had a strong devotion to the fire service. Pat was a member of the Nashville-Davidson (TN) County Fire & Rescue Service during the early 1950's, the Monson, ME Volunteer Fire Department during the 1980's, and the Blades, DE Volunteer Fire Department in the 1990's. His biggest accomplishments were achieved within his service to Cranford and Union County. Pat was the director of the Civil Defense Disaster Control and a staff member of the Fire Auxiliary for both Cranford and Union County, serving for 23 years. Under his direction, the CDDC was developed and organized to become a recognized and awarded entity. He passed his love for community service and particularly the fire service down to his son, Steve, who was a member of the Cranford Fire Department and retired after 32 years of service as a Captain. Pat was predeceased by his wife Anne in November of 2004. He is survived by his son, Steve Patterson and his wife Lisa; and his grandchildren, Kathleen Johnson and her husband John of Charlotte, NC, Guy Patterson and his wife Jaclyn of Cranford, and Eric Patterson and his wife Aimee of Mechanicsburg, PA. He is also survived by his 5 great-grandchildren, Gabrielle, Ethan, & Evan Patterson and Jack & Samantha Johnson and his brother, Robert Patterson of Sheridan, Oregon. Memorial contributions may be made in Pat's name to the Tri-County Red Cross, 322 W. Front Street, Plainfield, NJ 07060 or the Point Pleasant Borough First Aid Squad, PO Box 3, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742. A private cremation was arranged by the Pable - Evertz Funeral Home of Point Pleasant. For online condolences please visit www.pableevertzfuneralhome.com