Mr. Ralph E. Patterson

Born June 27, 1933 in Boulder, Colorado. Died July 29, 2010 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Business Owner, longtime Colorado Springs resident. Survived by his wife, Elizabeth A.; ; two sons, Michael A. & Carolyn of Colorado Springs and Kenneth H of Colorado Springs.; a daughter, Sharon L. & Keith Chuvla of Houston, Texas. Grandsons Justin Patterson, Matthew and Neisja Patterson, Anthony Patterson, David Patterson, Robert Patterson, Patrick Chuvala, Tim Chuvala, Andy Chuvala, Christopher Chuvala and Granddaughter Holly Chuvala; 2 Step Grandsons Jason & Heidi Linhardt and Paul & Heather Linhardt: Great grandsons Damian Patterson, Jayden Smith, David Patterson, Kaeleb Patterson, and Samuel Linhardt and Great Graddaughters Alison Linhardt, Shelby Linhardt and Claire Linhardt. He is proceeded in death by His Father Justin Leo Patterson and his Mother Elsie Patterson of Boulder, Colorado; his brother Jack V Patterson and sister Helen Jandreau.
Celebration of life service, 2 p.m. Aug. 14, Living Hope Covenant Church, 6750 N. Union Blvd Colorado Springs, Co
Arrangements under the direction of Mountain View Mortuary, Colorado Springs, CO.

From Michael Patterson:
I met Ralph was when I was almost 7 years old as my parents were splitting up. Ralph was a good man and I felt comfortable with him. My relationship with him was a new beginning for me.

My Mom and Howard had decided to split up and we liked Ralph enough that it seemed not to bother us in the transition.

My personality was pretty much set at that point in time, but I found that Ralph was easy to talk and relate to. He actually respected me and that made me feel important. This was a big help to me as things were changing and I needed his guidance in helping me with all the turmoil in my life.

I think about the first trip we took with Ken, Mom and me and we went to a picnic up near Fort Collins to see from friends of Mom's. All three of us guys were having so much fun with an Army convoy going by, playing like we were shooting at them all and we wound up not paying attention so that we missed our turn off. Ralph was very involved with us and seemed to like us both very much.

That December, Mom and Ralph got married and I had enrolled in a new school already and was involved in Cub Scouting. Ralph became involved in scouting as well and wound up being the scout master with Mom a den mother. Ralph was also helpful in my favorite sport, fishing.

He was a hard-working guy who became very involved with our family. Everything seemed to fit and he loved us as his own. We did however, had to adjust to a few things like peanut butter on hotdogs, peanut butter on bologna and cheese sandwiches and the like. Ralph loved to eat. He was skinny as a rail and so when we went to the Cafe DeVille (an all you can eat place on S. Nevada) the owner would see Dad coming and put on extra potatoes and meatloaf. He would eat 4 or 5 plate full's before he was full.

He taught me a lot about baseball and airplanes. He was always doing something. He taught me a lot about leadership skills as well as being a good student in school. We went to church every Sunday and I was involved in the youth choir and he taught me the importance of doing for others.

Ralph taught about God, then family and himself last. Sometimes I think he went without food when we were poor at times. I am sure that he went without so that his children were well cared for. All his life he was respectful of others and loved Jesus.

In later years, he ran his own paint company. His first real apprentice painter was a young man fresh from Vietnam who couldn't speak English. Minh was a saint. He listened to Dad and did everything Dad did and he became a good painter quickly. I remember him doing things that even I wouldn't do, like getting on the top of a steeple at the Broadmoor Community Church. He was up there so high that he could have fallen easily, but Minh operated like Spiderman.

As Dad got older, he started having trouble with multiple back and hip surgeries, but he still had time to help me get a car when I didn't have any money and was always there to help. He even helped me get out of my alcohol addition, taking me in for a time until I could get back on my feet.

My wife, Carolyn, and I wound up, after we were married, being painters for a while. Dad was getting up there in years, but we helped him with stuff to do to help him provide for his financial needs. One time we had a job that Dad had to make this brick faux. He painted brick so carefully that it looked like the old brick that was no longer made. There were several colors involved and no one could have done a better job to satisfy our customer than him.

He had made many friends along the way. Eventually, he and Mom ended up working at Sam's. He still maintained having a beautiful yard.

He wound up, at the end of his life, having 3 children, 10 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. He had a full life who loved God and family. He cared deeply for Betty and was always concerned for her well-being even up till the end.

He will always be in our hearts until we see him again in Heaven.