MR. JAMES HENRY PATTERSON

Funeral services for Mr. James Henry Patterson will be held at 2 PM Monday, March 2, 2026, at John E. Stephens Chapel with Rev. Stuart Purvis and Rev. John E. Stephens officiating. Interment will be in North Bend Methodist Cemetery. Visitation will be 5 PM - 8 PM Sunday, March 1, 2026, at John E. Stephens Chapel.

James Henry "Pat" Patterson

Mr. James Henry "Pat" Patterson of Philadelphia passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy built on faith, hard work, humor, and deep love for his family. He was a kind man who never met a stranger, and he had a gift for making everyone feel like an old friend.

Born on August 1, 1936 in Winston County, Mississippi to Milton Woodard Patterson and Alma Simmons Patterson, James Henry was one of 5 children. He was raised in a time when horses and farming were a way of life. He often recalled receiving only an apple or an orange for Christmas during his childhood but he never allowed humble beginnings to limit his dreams.

As a young man, he traveled to Detroit, Michigan, where he sold ice cream from a bicycle and worked in a division of Ford Motor Company, faithfully sending half of every paycheck home to help his family. He promised his mother he would finish high school and he did.

In April of 1956, he married the love of his life, just months after their December engagement. This April 21st, they would have celebrated 70 years of marriage, a testament to enduring love and commitment.

James Henry worked tirelessly throughout his life. He helped run service stations, bought and sold cars, managed a car lot, farmed cattle, and drove freight trucks from 1961 to 1983. He founded Patterson Logging and was known as one of the most natural salesmen you'd ever meet-witty, quick, and unforgettable. If you ever received a call answered by "James H. Patterson from Philadelphia," you knew you were in for a conversation.

He built businesses from the ground up, washed cars for a dollar, sold ice for a quarter, financed vehicles when others wouldn't, and took risks that built opportunity not just for himself but for generations to come.

He was an avid storyteller, a lover of bluegrass festivals and the Neshoba County Fair, Vowell's plate lunches, and his treasured blue Ford tractor.

In later years, he enjoyed traveling across the country with his beloved from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, from Cocoa Beach to Colorado, often in an RV headed to Oak Grove, Louisiana. Even as health challenges came and went, his spirit remained strong. He loved his grandkids and cherished afternoons in his rocking chair.

James Henry attended North Calvary Baptist Church much of his life, serving as deacon and Training Union Director. To be closer to his home, he later became a member of Spring Creek Baptist Church, living a life rooted in faith and never wasting a second to remind his kids and grandkids to do the same. He was also known as a dedicated member to his community, serving more than 33 years with the North Bend Fire Department, being the founder and President of the Board.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Milton Woodard Patterson and Alma Simmons Patterson, his sisters, Catherine Patterson Bracken and Mary Alice Robertson, his brother Tilton Patterson, his brother-in-laws, Tebo Daniels and Parnell Bracken, and his great grandson, Jesse James Wilcox.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Martha Fulton Patterson, his three incredible children and their spouses, Shelia (Ferrell) Alexander, Sherlon (Terri) Patterson, & Melanie (Tem McMullan) Spears, his sister, Christine Daniels, his sister-in-law, Jane Patterson, his brother-in-law, Junior Robertson, his 9 grandchildren (20 including spouses), 16 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, & a host of nieces and nephews.

He was proud of every single one of them and never failed to tell anyone that.

Two centuries. Ten decades. Sixty-nine years of marriage. And a family legacy that will live on forever.

Pallbearers include Michael Griffin, Michael Alexander, Shane Patterson, Patrick Patterson, Dylan Spears, Ricky Patterson, Mike Robertson, Jesse Wilcox, & Jordan Davidson

Honorary pallbearers include Zane Griffin, Garrison Breedlove, Ollie Patterson, Cruz Graham, George Patterson, Connor Spears, Huxley Wilcox, Jackson Alexander, Mason Alexander, Thomas Kyte, Robert Kyte, James Edwin Kyte, & Richard Posey.