Ruth Patton

1942 - 2016

Sept. 29, 1942 - Sept. 22, 2016

Rev. Ruth Patton went to be with her Lord and Savior after a battle with cancer.

Ruth was born in Granite City, IL, the sixth child of Charles and Bessy Sullivan. She lived in Granite City for 27 years. After that she lived with her husband and children in Utah for five years, Maryland for two years, before moving to California. Where she lived in Benicia for three years before moving to Vallejo for the rest of her life.

She graduated from Granite City High School with a love for music. She played the clarinet in the marching band and the contrabass clarinet in band. This is where she developed her love for music. She would practice for hours. She taught herself how to play the organ and then later the piano. She loved taking violin lessons with her granddaughter.

She went on to marry the love of her life Jerry Patton on Sept. 30, 1961 in Granite City, IL. Ruth and Jerry always knew each other. They grew up attending the same church. With going to church, sing in the choir, teaching a Sunday school class, Ruth still found time to teach children in her neighborhood about Jesus.

Ruth had three daughters, Joy, Jan and Jeri. Ruth loved to play the organ along with piano, flute, clarinet and violin, but her favorite was the clarinet. She was also an accomplished soloist. She lead numerous choirs and worship teams. After retiring from the insurance industry she was ordained as an Elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 2007. Ruth and Jerry served on staff at Vallejo First Church of the Nazarene, Christ Community Church of the Nazarene, Concord, then Co Pastored the Alameda New Beginnings Church of the Nazarene and Oakland Bayview Church of the Nazarene before retiring in 2014. After retirement she attended New Life Church of the Nazarene in Vacaville.

Ruth took numerous short term missionary trips to Guatemala and Brazil. Ruth loved to travel and celebrated her 31 wedding anniversary in Riga Latvian after spending a week in Moscow Russia. She loved Yosemite and visiting family in Illinois and Oregon.

She loved to play with her grandkids, and helping them with homework.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Bessy Sullivan; brother, Wilmar, and sister, Thelma. She is survived by her husband, Jerry Patton; brother, Wayne Sullivan of St Helena, OR; sisters, Eileen Hiser of Murphysboro, IL, Norma (Jim) of Pekin, IL; daughters, Joy Hale, Janice Patton of Vallejo and Jeri (Daniel) Chapman all of Vallejo; five grandchildren, Candice (Joe) Fuller, Robert (Amy) Hale, Courtney Hale, Shyla Chapman and Nathan Chapman, and four great grandchildren.

Memorial service will be at Castro Valley Church of the Nazarene on Oct. 1, at 4 p.m., 19230 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley, CA 94546.

Arrangements entrusted to the direction and care of Skyview Memorial Lawn, 707-644-7474.