John M. Patterson

John Merrick Patterson, the son of Andrew and Mary (Eischen) Patterson was born March 15, 1920, in Rock Township in Cherokee, Iowa. He grew up on the family farm and attended the rural school there. He graduated from Wilson High School in Cherokee in 1937. John entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and served 3 1/2 years in Australia and the Pacific area. He was honorably discharged January 1, 1946. He joined Immaculate Conception Church that same year. He married Mildred Cave on December 31, 1946. They moved to their farm north of Aurelia and lived there for 40 years. In 1986 they retired to Aurelia. He was a member of the Cherokee County Friends of Conservation, the National Wildlife Society, the Audubon Society, The Sierra Club, and the Wilderness Society. He was a charter member of the Cherokee County Board of Adjustment for 30 years, and a 65 year member of the Aurelia American Legion. He joined the Cherokee V.F.W. when they moved to Cherokee in 2006. He also enjoyed being a longtime member of the Aurelia Heritage Society. He spent a lot of time after his retirement on the old family farm in Rock Township that was a century farm in 1983. He received a district soil conservation award on the farm in 1991. He enjoyed going to auctions and collecting antiques. His favorite past time was reading. More than anything, He enjoyed spending time with his family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred, in 2013, his parents and one sister and one brother. John is survived by two daughters, Jean (Don) Kruse of Pharr, Texas, and Jane (Darrel) Bartling of Urbandale, IA; three grandchildren, Katie (Mike) Gehringer, Jamie (Mike) Butterworth, and Trent (Laurel) Bartling; 9 great-grandchildren: Gabe, Grant, Gavin Gehringer; Emma, Henry, Harper, Millie Butterworth; and Hattie and baby brother (due in three weeks) Bartling. The family requests that memorials be directed to the Autism Society of Iowa.

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