The family and friends of Howard Colwell Patterson mourn his unexpected death on September 25, 2015 from complications in the wake of a brain hemorrhage. Howard was a fourth generation Lovelander with an encyclopedic knowledge of and great affection for the people and places of his hometown. He was born in downtown Loveland on September 13, 1941. He graduated from Loveland High School in 1959 and went on to receive a Bachelor's degree from the Iowa Wesleyan College (now Iowa Wesleyan University) and a Master's degree from Colorado State University. He and Nancy Ellen Baker were married on December 11, 1965 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1965 through 1969, leaving active service with the rank of Captain. He was stationed overseas and was later honored to be chosen for parade and ceremonial duties at historic 8th and I Marine Barracks in Washington, DC. He spent most of his working career in banking, first as a national bank examiner for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and then at the original First National Bank of Loveland (later Banc One, and now J.P. Morgan Chase). He retired from the bank as Vice President of Commercial Lending. Howard did not slow down with retirement from the banking industry. He began work as a transit driver for the City of Loveland. It was a perfect fit for a man who was an outstanding driver, maintained a perfect map of the city in his head, and enjoyed helping old and new friends retain their mobility. He was often a man of few words, so he preferred to let his behind-the-scenes service speak for him. For decades, he volunteered for The House of Neighborly Service, Meals on Wheels, and other community organizations. He could be found keeping accounts, mowing lawns, singing hymns in harmony, and serving communion at the First Baptist Church. He had a special regard for the homeless of Loveland and worked weekly at the 137 Homeless Connection Day Center. He was passionate about camping and traveling across the USA to take in the beauty of all 50 states. He enjoyed Loveland's bike/hike trails, and many will remember his courteous passing as he whizzed past on either rollerblades or his bicycle. The best way to honor his memory would be to find avenues to serve others and our community as Howard did. Howard was preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Lillian Patterson. He is survived by Nancy, his love of fifty years; sons Jon-Mark Patterson (Rachel) of Loveland, Colorado, and Samuel Patterson (Carlie) of New York, New York; grandchildren Helen, John, William, Pierce, Jayden, Davis, and Grant; siblings Evan Patterson (Veronica), Rae Fetherling, and Mark Patterson; and his and Nancy's extended families. On Friday, October 2 at 2:00 P.M., family and friends will celebrate Howard's life at First Baptist Church, 1003 W. 6th Street, Loveland, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to HNS-137 Homeless Connection and to First Baptist Church (designated for the Music Concert Series).
Published in ReporterHerald.com from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 2015