Fred Patterson

1940 - 2026

Funeral services for Fred Patterson, 85, of Portales will be held at 2:00 PM, Wed., Jan. 28, 2026 at the First United Methodist Church in Portales with Rev. James Heredia and Rev. Damon Stalvey officiating. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Tony Perez, Chris Wood, Ryan Belcher, Caleb Howl, Donny Massey and Wade Carter serving as pallbearers. All of his many friends from the church family and from the Floyd Jamboree will be honorary pallbearers.
Fred Eugene Patterson was born Sept. 24, 1940 near Logan, NM to the home of Tennie Mae (Bogard) and Eugene Virgil "Jake" Patterson, and passed from this life on the morning of Jan. 21, 2026 at his home in Portales. Mr. Patterson graduated from high school in 1959 from Mosquero High School, Mosquero, NM. Following graduation, he came to Portales to attend Eastern New Mexico University. He graduated from the university with a Bachelor's in History and Political Science and a Master's Degree in History.
It was while attending the university that he met the love of his life, Miss Laveta Modrall. They were married at the Baptist Student Union Building on campus on June 7, 1966. In 1970, he accepted a position in Albuquerque where he taught Social Studies at Jackson Junior High. After three years, he moved to Limon, CO where he sold insurance for a short time before returning to Education, and served as a Special Education teacher. He later became employed as the Special Education Director for the Board of Cooperative Education serving seventeen school districts in eastern Colorado. Mr. Patterson was eventually promoted to be the Director for the entire program. In addition to his professional duties, he also served on the town council, and as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Lincoln County Democratic Party.
In Oct. of 1998, he and his wife moved back to Portales where they remodeled his wife's family home. Once the remodeling was finished, he and his wife rode horseback into the mountains to go elk hunting. While living in Colorado, he participated in and won several 10K races. Mr. Patterson enjoyed fishing and hunting, but his real love was found in his horses and his cattle. He was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church. Mr. Patterson was also an active member of the Lions Club in Colorado and later in the Floyd Lions Club.
He is survived by Laveta, his wife of more than 59 years of marriage of their home; a son and daughter-in-law, Thad and Rhonda Patterson of Amarillo, TX and a daughter and son-in-law, Martha and Scott Buchanan of Sundown, TX; five grandchildren, Rhianna Anglin, Russell and Thai Anglin, George Patterson, Conal Buchanan, and Gwen Buchanan, and one great-grandchild, Salem Patterson; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Duane and Kathie Patterson of Oro Valley, AZ and Stan and Maxine Patterson of Kaibeto, AZ; and a sister, Margaret Patterson of Cleveland, OK. Mr. Patterson was preceded in death by his parents
Arrangements are under the direction of Wheeler Mortuary of Portales. 575-356-4455, wheelermortuary.net