E.L. Patterson was born November 18, 1900 in Palestine, Anderson County, Texas to George and Irene Patterson. His family moved from Palestine when he was an infant to Mart, Texas and he grew up there. His father was a farmer. E.L. attended the Mart school. he came to spur, Dickens County, Texas in 1931. Merle was born Merle Joiner Agust 25, 1925, second daughter of Fred and Carrie Joiner. She attended Haynes School. Merle and E.L. met in 1937 at the railroad tank while they were fishing. They were married September 1, 1939.
E.L. worked at the Spur Creamery for 12 years. Whjen it closed he worked at the O.K. Rubber Welders. When the Spur Memorial Hospital opened he became custodian and worked there for 25 years and retired from what was then Spur Care Center. he worked at the First Methodist Church for a number of years. Merle was a homemaker and worked as a maid for several families; Dr. and Mrs. E.H. Martin, and presently the Swenson and Harrison families. She worked for many years for the Rickels families.
E.L. and Merle raised 8 children, 4 boys and 4 girls: Irene, Christine (deceased), Elnora Jean, Eula Mae, E.L. Jr., George Edd, Freddie Lee and Jimmy Dale.
The girls attended and finished Haynes School and the boys all finished Spur High School. Merle and E.L. are members of Lakeside Baptist Church. E.L. is a Deacon and Merle sings in the choir, is Treasurer of the Choir and Mission #1. E.L. is a member of Western Beauty Lodge #138 and serves as Secretary-Treasurer. Merle is a member of Queen Thelma Court #443 Heroine of Jericho where she serves as O.G.
Funeral services for E.L. Patterson, 85, were held Monday at 11 a.m. in the Lake Side Baptist Church with pastor, Rev. James Boyce, officiating, assisted by Rev. F.K. Williams, Sweetwater and Robert Sweet, also of Sweetwater.Patterson was dead on arrival at Fisher County Hospital, Rotan, on May 8, 1986. He apparently suffered a heart attack.
Born November 18, 1900 in Palestine, he had resided in Dickens County since 1932. He came here from Wichita Falls. He was a custodian for several local businesses. He was also a deacon of the Lake Side Baptist Church and secretary-treasurer of the Western Bounty Masonic Lodge, No. 138.
Survivors include his wife, Merle Patterson, Spur; four sons: E.L. Patterson, Jr. and Jimmy Dale Patterson, both of Dallas, Geroge Edd Patterson, Sweetwater and Freddie Lee Patterson, Spur; three daughters: Irene Abnet Brown, Conroe; Elnora Jean Duncan, Dallas and Eula Griggs Bender, Sweetwater; (one daughter, Christine Sweet, preceded him in death in 1972); two sisters: Lois Patterson, Post and Georgeia Irving, Spur; (two brothers and a sister also preceded him in death); 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Grandsons served as pallbearers. Burial was in Spur Memorial Cemetery with Campbell Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
©The Texas Spur, May 1986
from the records of Lillian Grace Nay
SWEETWATER — Services for Merle Patterson, 76, of Sweetwater will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mount Rose Baptist Church with the Rev. Roy C. Jones and Allan Dale Abney officiating. Burial will follow in Spur Cemetery under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home of Sweetwater. She died Saturday, March 2, 2002. She was born Aug. 25, 1925, in Dickens County. She married E.L. Patterson in 1935 in Spur. He died in 1984. She worked as a maid and was a member of Mount Rose Baptist Church. She also was preceded in death by a son, E.L. Jr., and a daughter, Christine Sweet. Survivors include three daughters, Eula Bender of Sweetwater, Elnora Stokes of Dallas and Irene Brown of Conroe; three sons, George and Freddie, both of Sweetwater, and Jim of Dallas; four sisters, Rosie Lee Creamers and Kantie Mae Nelms, both of Albuquerque, N.M., Pearl Coleman of Dallas and Corine Trials of Colorado Springs, Colo.; 11 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.©Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Monday, March 4, 2002
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