In Celebration of the Life of Terry Patty

Hi, and welcome to Terry's story forum. Everyone who knows my dad knows how much he enjoyed telling stories. Stories about his grandkids, his favorite sports statistics, that fish that got away, extreme weather, crazy things he did as a kid, how all kinds of things work, on and on. And of course, an endless supply of jokes. To honor his memory, we encourage everyone visiting the site to share an experience you had with Terry. Or maybe leave a joke that would make him laugh, or music he would enjoy listening to.

I'll start with a small one. Dad and I shared a love of music, and enjoyed finding and sharing versions of our favorite songs. Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is my favorite song, and Dad would send me particularly beautiful versions that he would find. I found this one today that we hadn't discovered, performed by one of his favorite artists. I love you Dad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1sFYdwlXtI

Joi
Monday, March 23rd, 2015

Terry and I were cousins from the day he was born. The four Patty boys and the two Pennington boys were legendary (in our minds) in south central Oklahoma. We played in mud puddles, went swimming at Texoma, Pennington Creek, etc. Fishing at the same places (throw in Blue River for good measure). Our family gatherings around Christmas time were legendary for good times and lying and Terry was good at both. Terry was always a fun loving, happy, caring person that was always fun to be around.

He was quite the athlete during his younger days and told me he was handsome. We attended Murray State College in the '60's and had as much fun there as you can have in Tishomingo, OK. The outdoors was always involved in some way. Nothing else was there to play with. We didn't mind.

Enjoyed a salmon fishing trip with him and my brother Ron last fall on the Columbia (see pictures page). Terry did something to the picture to make it look like he caught the biggest fish. His was actually about half aslarge as ours! You know how good Terry was with computers, so not surprised.

May God smile on you old friend.

Dan Pennington
Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Terry was a neighbor and a friend of ours in West Linn. Regardless of how up or how down you were, an hour with Terry would boost you. A story that leaps immediately to mind took place on what must have been simultaneously one of Terry's worst-ever and best-ever days. This was just a few years ago. I encountered him on a midday dogwalk in Palomino Park. I said "how are you?" He said "I was laid off this morning." I said "That's terrible - I am so sorry!" He said: "I got a new job within 30 minutes!" Loved it - If I have my facts straight, the day had started like any other. He was called into the boss's office and told there was a downsizing or some mumbo-jumbo and to clean out his desk. He did so and was in the process of a miserable drive home (how to break the news to Joanne, etc.) when a customer called his cellphone. He said: "Unfortunately, I can't help you because as of 30 minutes ago I no longer work there." The customer said: "That is good news for me. Why don't you come to work for me?" And he did! And that will give you an idea of how Terry treated his customers. More to come.

Bruce
Monday, April 6th, 2015

Well tomorrow is the day we always celebrated Terry's Birthday (April 7) and the day he always became one year older than me. From Mar 12 to April 7 he and I were the same age. I alway's reminded him of that.

My favorite story about Terry is the day I asked him if I could come over to their house and practice sharing the plan of salvation with him. He said, "Sure" and I went over and he sat patiently while I stumbled through the "Plan of Salvation" that we had been studying at church.

When we got to the place where I was to ask him "the question", I said, "Would you like to ask Christ to be your Savior?", I remember my face burning and flushed as Terry looked over at me with those piercing intense eyes he had and said, "Are you asking me as practice, or for real?". I simply replied, "However you need it". He took my hand and prayed to ask Christ to forgive him of his sins and to become his Savior and Lord. Right then, heaven erupted with the song of a million angels praising God for this new 'believer', a Christian where the old was passed away, and the new had come.

I will share other stories later, but there is nothing on this earth that gives me more peace and joy than to know that God allowed me to introduce Terry to His Son, Jesus. And I know that when Terry left his earthlybody, he stepped straight into the loving arms of Jesus and the company of his Mom, Dad, Judy, Dick and the sister he never knew, Gwendolyn.

Save a place at the banquet table my brother, my friend and, for today, my 66 year young pal.

Sam
Tuesday, April 7th, 2015

Everyone who knows my dad knows he's always up at the crack of dawn. This is a habit that he most definitely did not pass down to his kids. One morning, not long after I moved up to Oregon, I overslept due to a power outage and was dreadfully late for work. After sharing this bummer story with Dad, he offered to give me awake up call at 7am every morning. I graciously accepted this kind offer. Without fail, Dad would call every morning with a friendly hello. It was a wonderful way to start my day, and he even had a 10 minute snooze feature😄. We continued this arrangement for the next four YEARS or so, until he was finally able to passthe baton when I married my current alarm clock.

XOXO Love you Dad. Happy Birthday XOXO

Joi
Tuesday, April 7th, 2015

I'll never forget the family trip we took to California, driving with the whole family, we took the southern route on the way & the northern route back home to Oklahoma. Maybe it was the promise of Disneyland, maybe it was the days spent in the car with 5 other people but when we finally got to our destination, Uncle Terry & Aunt JoAnn's, I thought there are no two people more happy and fun! That trip is still legendary in my memory & has forever sealed Uncle Terry & Aunt JoAnn in my heart. I love you!

Also, I knew every time my Dad talked with his brothers on the phone, he had a special laugh reserved for them & as the years went by I could even tell which brother he was talking with. I love my Dads "Terry laugh" it always made me laugh just hearing it.

Arianne
Tuesday, April 7th, 2015

Almost everyone knows Terry was a bright guy and an engineer. He was not one to brag, so many may be unaware that he attended MIT for two years - on a full-ride scholarship, no less. If he shared that fact with you, he'd let it soak in for only a moment and then explain that MIT is Murray State College in Tishamingo.

Bruce
Wednesday, May 13th, 2015

I visited Terry and Jo Ann in Portland a couple of times a few (too many) years back. Those were a couple of my very favorite vacations. I brought a friend with me once and we got the best tour of Oregon you could get. Terry loved the city and everything around it. He told us all about the bubblers and the abandoned Christmas tree lots and he took us around the “Fruit Loop.” We went to the beach and up to snowy Mount Hood and to beautiful Multnomah Falls. We saw the Columbia River and bought apples and visited a lighthouse and we all just talked constantly. I went out there a couple of years later by myself and I made him take me to all the same places. And even though it was probably the hundredth tour he had given, he talked like it was the first.