William Brooks Patterson passed away Jan. 20, 2003, at the age of 80.

He was born July 20, 1922, in Huntington, W.Va. After high school he served four years in the Army Air Force as a staff sergeant in California. He met his future wife while attending Marshall University. He was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. After he married Pat, he attended the University of West Virginia, where he received a degree in mechanical engineering.

In 1950, he began a 35-year career with the Boeing Airplane Co. He contributed to the development and delivery of the 707, 727, 737 and the 747. During his tenure at Boeing, he also supported the logistics support program in Iran for three years. The Iranian Air Force required assistance setting up its air cargo and refueling tanker program while the Shah was in power. Upon retiring from Boeing, Mr. Patterson worked for Lear Jet in Tucson, Ariz.; Rohr in San Diego, Calif.; Dee Howard in San Antonio, Texas, supporting the Saudi Arabian king’s 747 airplane; Hughes in San Diego; and then Sikorsky helicopters in Connecticut.

When he finally retired, he enjoyed golfing, fly fishing on Lake Lenore, lounging in the sun, sampling Pat’s gourmet cooking and reading stories to his grandchildren while they cuddled up in his lap. Potluck group dinners were always a favorite gathering with his special friends. During his life he supported his children as a coach and a mentor in Little League baseball, soccer and Pee Wee football. He loved taking them fishing, duck hunting, skiing and camping. He made them cut firewood to pay for the trips.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Anne Sopher, in August 2002.

Survivors include his wife, Pat, of Langley: two sons, William H. Patterson and wife Cheryl of Freeland, and Dean Patterson and wife Denise of Clinton; five grandchildren, Nicole, Maryn, Callie, Charlie and Amy Gilstrap of Draper, Utah; and a niece, Patty Ferrell and her husband Steve and son JB of Seymour, Ind.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 1 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Freeland. A reception will follow the service.

The family asks that memorials be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 97, Freeland, WA 98249.