Obituary for John E. Patterson
John Ernest Patterson passed away Dec. 16, 2021. John was born Dec. 11, 1938 to Charles E. Patterson and Eunice Cora (Miller) Patterson in Ainsworth, Nebraska. Charles and Eunice moved their family, daughter, Joan, and sons John, Robert (Bob) and Lyle, to Idaho in 1950 to join his brother Harry in the Burley area.
As a teenager, John joined the Civil Air Patrol, where he met Judith (Judy) Welborn, who was also in the Civil Air Patrol.
When he turned 16, John joined the Army National Guard, and served until 1963.
He graduated from Burley High School in 1957, and attended the University of Idaho in Moscow for the 1957 school year. John then came back to Burley to work for Judy’s father for the next two school years. In the fall of 1960, John resumed his college career at Idaho State University in Pocatello where he earned a technical degree, graduating in June 1962.
Later that summer, John and Judy got married on Aug. 19. Soon after, John was recruited, along with several of his ISU classmates, by EG&G to work at the Nevada Test Site near Las Vegas. In 1963 the newlyweds moved to Las Vegas and John began a 40-year career with EG&G. His employer gave John the remaining training he needed to become a technical engineer.
John’s work at the Nevada Test Site required top level government security clearance, and he was never able to talk about his work. We do know that he received specialized radar training, and worked sometimes on extremely tall radar towers.
His work also took him to various places around the world. He spent about 6 months in Israel, worked on a radar tower for about 6 weeks in Australia, spent several weeks in Egypt, and went on several shorter trips to other countries. John also spent about a year working on a project in Texas.
John and Judy raised two daughters, Sharon and Debbie, and were very involved in Girl Scouts for 25 years while in Las Vegas. After experiencing health problems in 2002 John retired from EG&G, and he and Judy moved back to Idaho. They settled first in Twin Falls in 2004, then built a home in Kimberly in 2008.
Always an airplane enthusiast, John and a couple friends pooled resources and bought a Piper Cherokee in 1978. One of his friends was a flight instructor, and taught John how to fly. He got his pilot’s license in 1979.
John loved to fly, and was fascinated by all types of aircraft. He and Judy attended many airshows over the years. This eventually led to his hobby of building and flying remote-controlled airplanes, his passion in retirement. It was natural for him to volunteer his time to run the RC Airplane shop on Locust Street in Twin Falls called Aerotronics for the past 12 years. There, he was able to spend time building planes while working at the shop, visiting with other RC airplane enthusiasts, and participating in the local RC airplane club events.
John also enjoyed wood working, particularly making wooden toys. Among his creations is a working dump truck, a 5-car train, a golf cart, and several cars and trucks.
John is preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Eunice, his sister, Joan (Patterson) Sargent, and a brother, Lyle Patterson. John has one surviving sibling, Robert (Bob) Patterson of Wenatchee, WA. He is also survived by his wife, Judy, and two daughters, Sharon Cox of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Debbie Barnhart of Clearfield, Utah. Debbie and her husband, Scott, have two children, Niki Barnhart and Dusten Barnhart. Niki has one son, Quinn, and Dusten and his wife, Bre, also have a son, Damian. John is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. at Reynolds Funeral Chapel, 2466 Addison Ave. E. in Twin Falls. All are welcome.
As a teenager, John joined the Civil Air Patrol, where he met Judith (Judy) Welborn, who was also in the Civil Air Patrol.
When he turned 16, John joined the Army National Guard, and served until 1963.
He graduated from Burley High School in 1957, and attended the University of Idaho in Moscow for the 1957 school year. John then came back to Burley to work for Judy’s father for the next two school years. In the fall of 1960, John resumed his college career at Idaho State University in Pocatello where he earned a technical degree, graduating in June 1962.
Later that summer, John and Judy got married on Aug. 19. Soon after, John was recruited, along with several of his ISU classmates, by EG&G to work at the Nevada Test Site near Las Vegas. In 1963 the newlyweds moved to Las Vegas and John began a 40-year career with EG&G. His employer gave John the remaining training he needed to become a technical engineer.
John’s work at the Nevada Test Site required top level government security clearance, and he was never able to talk about his work. We do know that he received specialized radar training, and worked sometimes on extremely tall radar towers.
His work also took him to various places around the world. He spent about 6 months in Israel, worked on a radar tower for about 6 weeks in Australia, spent several weeks in Egypt, and went on several shorter trips to other countries. John also spent about a year working on a project in Texas.
John and Judy raised two daughters, Sharon and Debbie, and were very involved in Girl Scouts for 25 years while in Las Vegas. After experiencing health problems in 2002 John retired from EG&G, and he and Judy moved back to Idaho. They settled first in Twin Falls in 2004, then built a home in Kimberly in 2008.
Always an airplane enthusiast, John and a couple friends pooled resources and bought a Piper Cherokee in 1978. One of his friends was a flight instructor, and taught John how to fly. He got his pilot’s license in 1979.
John loved to fly, and was fascinated by all types of aircraft. He and Judy attended many airshows over the years. This eventually led to his hobby of building and flying remote-controlled airplanes, his passion in retirement. It was natural for him to volunteer his time to run the RC Airplane shop on Locust Street in Twin Falls called Aerotronics for the past 12 years. There, he was able to spend time building planes while working at the shop, visiting with other RC airplane enthusiasts, and participating in the local RC airplane club events.
John also enjoyed wood working, particularly making wooden toys. Among his creations is a working dump truck, a 5-car train, a golf cart, and several cars and trucks.
John is preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Eunice, his sister, Joan (Patterson) Sargent, and a brother, Lyle Patterson. John has one surviving sibling, Robert (Bob) Patterson of Wenatchee, WA. He is also survived by his wife, Judy, and two daughters, Sharon Cox of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Debbie Barnhart of Clearfield, Utah. Debbie and her husband, Scott, have two children, Niki Barnhart and Dusten Barnhart. Niki has one son, Quinn, and Dusten and his wife, Bre, also have a son, Damian. John is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m. at Reynolds Funeral Chapel, 2466 Addison Ave. E. in Twin Falls. All are welcome.