Brian Patterson of Santa Cruz, NM died on November 14, 2022 after a heroic three-month struggle with complications of West Nile virus.
He was born 9/22/43 in Philadelphia to Maynard and Irma Patterson, the eldest of four children. After graduating from Ripon College he married Jennifer Shaver, with whom he had two sons. He earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. During the Vietnam era he served as a captain in the US Air Force at Hill AFB. Subsequently he entered the financial industry, working for several companies in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Finance never satisfied his problem-solving bent, so he made a late-career switch to computer programming, serving several years as a consultant with Analysts International before finishing his career at Medtronic.
Brian found great joy in the outdoors, especially water. He sailed, paddled, motored, and rowed his way through the lakes and rivers of Minnesota; he camped, hiked, fished, cross-country skied, and bicycled thousands of miles. Through that love of nature, plus a characteristic bit of distraction, he met his second wife, Denise Wilder, at a state park campground: fatefully, he went to the wrong campsite, which happened to be across from hers. He invited her over for coffee, and their 34-year adventure together had begun. They paddled and portaged throughout the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and shared many camping, cycling and skiing explorations. After they discovered Wyoming’s Sunlight Basin, Denise gave Brian a fly rod and reel for his birthday. He soon mastered it, she followed suit, and they enjoyed annual fly fishing trips to Wyoming for many years, eventually trading their small tent for a pop-up that Brian remodeled – of course! – into a sweet portable cabin. When birding mushroomed into a passion, Brian and Denise traveled to birding hotspots in the US and Central America, making a point of being along a good flyway during migration and at Bosque del Apache NWR for multiple winter visits. In addition to their list of observed species, they grew lasting friendships with fellow birders over the years.
Brian had an engineer’s mind, which he applied to creating solutions for any problem posed by home improvement or machinery needs. He could build, fix or improve on nearly anything; friends sought his advice on their projects. A devoted woodworker, he designed and built furniture and cabinetry, as well as two woodstrip canoes, one with Douglas, his oldest son. He taught his sons how to build and repair useful and beautiful things, passing on the value of a job well done along with the importance of achieving peace of mind before beginning the work.
Brian and Denise moved to northern NM in 2011 seeking sunshine, more outdoor adventure, a bigger woodshop and space for an expansive vegetable garden on what they christened the Slight Possibility Farm. Here, Brian blossomed. His mechanical mind found enough challenges and problems to keep him busy for the rest of his life as a hardworking gentleman farmer. He engineered construction of the quarter-acre vegetable garden, tweaking his drip irrigation system annually. In his beloved woodshop he built lustrous cabinets for the remodeled kitchen, his second created for Denise. Always willing to help and generous with his time, he volunteered his services to the Rio Arriba Adult Literacy Program, Española Community Market, and Camino de Paz School and Farm.
Brian found wonderful friends here, and he delighted in gathering them around our table for food and conversation. He was working on a much bigger table at the time of his death! Friendship was his highest and deepest value, and Brian felt lucky and a bit astounded by its abundance in his retirement years. His warm smile, twinkling eyes, and unexpected bits of deadpan humor endeared him to all. He was dearly loved and will be deeply missed, even as he lives on in our hearts.
Survivors include his wife Denise Wilder; sons Douglas Patterson (Jasmin Ozel), Jeffrey Patterson, and Alexander McHugh; grandson Elliott Patterson; sister Donna Long; brothers Steven Patterson and Bruce Patterson (Mari Zarcone).
A memorial celebration will be held next year. Memorial contributions are welcomed to the Friends of Bosque del Apache, the Food Depot, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, or charity of the donor’s choosing.
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