Donald Robert Patterson

  Donald Robert Patterson, 76 of Lafayette and formerly of Danville, slipped away into Eternal Rest in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 7, 2026 at his home. Visitation will be from 10am-Noon on Tuesday, May 12th at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1949 N. Bowman Avenue in Danville. Funeral Services will follow at Noon and burial will take place in Sunset Memorial Park immediately following.

   Donald was born on August 19, 1949 to Donald C. and Helen (Stal) Patterson. He attended Danville schools, graduating from Danville High School in 1967. Following high school Donald worked at Towne Machine Shop as an apprentice for three years before moving on to work at Peterson Puritan as a Quality Control Manager.  In 1980, Donald began a twenty-year career working at Walter Danville Corporation, where he would later work his way up to be President and CEO.  Donald started his own successful engineering business, Patterson Engineering & Manufacturing, and operated it for twenty-two years, retiring just two years ago in 2024.  He enjoyed fishing and mushroom hunting. He had a passion for playing music, even playing in a band when he was younger.

     Donald was eternally sealed to Terry James in 1987 in the Chicago, Illinois Temple  and the two have shared just shy of thirty-nine years together.  He leaves behind his loving wife Terry; his children: Shannon (Bruce Hammer) Patterson, Clayton Burson Patterson (Jessica Bennetti), Crystal (Avion Forthenberry) Burson Patterson, Jared (Jessie) Patterson, and Lilyana Patterson; fourteen grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Phyllis Golden, and his son James Patterson.

   Donald was an honest, gentle, and wise man who never met a stranger. He spent his life in steady service to others. To know him was to feel welcomed, valued, and loved. His kindness was constant and changed every life it touched. His life was defined by service to his family, his community, his religion, and to anyone that needed a steady hand. To know him was to know love in its most genuine form. His legacy lives on in the people he lifted, the hearts he softened, and the love he gave so freely.

  Memories and messages for the family may be left on the Kruger Funeral Home & Crematory Facebook page, or on our website at www.krugercoanpape.com. Memorials may be made in Donald’s name to Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, PO Box 947765, Atlanta, Georgia, 30394.

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