Jerry A. Patterson

Jerry Albert Patterson, 71, of Wainwright, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his beloved campsite at Clendening Lake on Sunday, August 8, 2021, after having a great fishing moment the day before, when he caught a prize Saugeye. Born November 13, 1949 in Dennison, he was a son of the late John Albert “Chicken” and Doris Mae (Haugh) Patterson.

Jerry was a lifelong Tuscarawas County country boy and a 1967 graduate of Claymont High School. He was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in Vietnam. After his military service, he enjoyed a 36 year career in plastics until his retirement from Boltaron. An avid outdoorsman, Jerry loved hunting deer, coon, and mushrooms. Jerry was known never to be without a dog at his side. He spent every spring walking the woods in search of morels, ran award winning coon dogs, was a lifelong member and past president of the Hey Jack Sportsmen Club, belonged to the Twin City Sportsmen Club, and was a lifetime member of the F.F.A., but above all else he was a fisherman. He spent countless hours on his boat, catching anything that would bite. His family has many precious memories of numerous fishing trips; each May with his brother Kim, to the Crappie Tournament at Lake Chautauqua; Canada with his sister Gloria and family; catching skates from the ocean pier in North Carolina, and most recently of his trip to Florida to see his son Ryan and family, where he greatly enjoyed spending time with grandsons and fishing in the canal with his nephew, Terry Lake.

He will be deeply missed by his surviving family which includes his wife, the former Joyce Ann Mock, whom he married on June 21, 2002, after being together for many years; children, Ryan (Kristy) Patterson, Doug DeYoung, Ashliegh (Larry) Miller, and Zac Jones; grandchildren, Jacqui, Colson, and Griffey; siblings, Gloria (Ed) Kugler, Sally (Jim) Milburn, and Kim (Vesta) Patterson; many nieces and nephews; too many friends to count; the large, loving community of friends who were his “camp family”; and his most current loyal companion, his dog Ripley.

According to Jerry’s wishes, cremation is planned without a public visitation. A celebration of Jerry’s life will begin with a military committal service at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 13, at V.F.W. Post #7943 in Tuscarawas, followed by a casual gathering for sharing memories and refreshments.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hey Jack Sportsmen Club, 12987 Blizzard Ridge Rd SE, Tippecanoe, OH 44699 or the Tuscarawas County Humane Society, 1432 Tall Timber Rd NE, New Philadelphia, OH  44663.