Patrick Alden Despeaux

Patrick Alden Despeaux, 78, passed away peacefully at home on October 9 th following a year-long battle with cancer. His loving family was by his side.
Patrick was born June 30th,1947 in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the only child of Nora Agnes Maloney Despeaux and Samuel Paul Despeaux. After his father passed away and his mother remarried, Patrick was blessed with a younger brother, James Gregory Emmert.
Patrick graduated from Durrett High School in 1965 and attended Western Kentucky University. A gifted artist, he was accepted to Cooper Union, but in the interim was drafted by the Army and deployed to Vietnam. Serving first with the 173rd (1968) and then the 101st Airborne Division (1969) where he was awarded the Purple Heart on May 20th, 1969, for injuries sustained in the infamous "Hamburger Hill" battle.
After returning home, always an adventurer and explorer, he hitchhiked across the country with friends and worked on towboats on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, which he said eased the transition to civilian life. He then attended the storied Louisville School of Art which honed his exceptional skill as an artist, and where he made lifelong friends. He also began an apprenticeship as a carpenter, a trade that supported him and his family for many years.
He was first married to Carolyn Ragsdale and was blessed with sons Samuel Alden Despeaux and Joel Clark Despeaux.
After he married a second time to Carolyn Keene in 1994, he built a beautiful home in Nelson County where he and his wife enjoyed being "rural enthusiasts" for 28 years, adopting many cats and dogs that happened to show up on their front porch.
He enjoyed a very active life of swimming, kayaking, biking and long walks with his wife and dogs. He was also a fantastic cook and enjoyed streaming jazz and blues while he prepared meals for family and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents and son, Joel Clark Despeaux. He is survived by his wife Carolyn Keene Despeaux, son Samuel Alden Despeaux (Carlyle), brother James Gregory Emmert (Dee Dee), and numerous in-laws and friends.
The family would like to thank all the caring professionals at Robley Rex VA Medical Center and Norton Cancer Institute.
A Funeral Mass will be held Monday, November 3rd at 11 a.m. at St. Frances of Rome. A gathering to celebrate Patrick's life will follow at the Clifton Center Reception Hall from 12-2 p.m.
In keeping with Patrick's love of cats and dogs, and of great music, please consider a memorial gift in his name to: Barktown Rescue in Boston, KY or WWOZ public radio in New Orleans, LA.