William Lewis Patterson

Mike {William Lewis} Patterson passed away on October 16, 2023 surrounded by his wife and five children. Mike was born in Caliente, NV on May 26, 1945 to Max Oscar Patterson and Margaret Bradshaw. His family moved to Las Vegas when he was 5 years old. Mike attended Sunrise Acres Elementary school until 8th grade and then went to Rancho High School and graduated in 1963. He married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Gloria Rudvall, in 1965. In 1966, Mike joined the Clark County Fire Dept. at Station 18. He had a 33-year career with CCFD, serving 20 of those years as the Chief Fire and Arson Investigator. During that time, he was the lead investigator on high profile cases like the MGM Grand fire in 1980 and Hilton Hotel fire in 1981. He was part of the investigation and an expert witness on the Pepcon Explosion in 1988. Mike retired from CCFD in 1999 but missed being in public service and joined the Boulder City Police Dept. as their Fire Investigator. He also was Secretary of Firefighter’s Union Local 1908 and served as Charter Member, President, and Director of the Nevada Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mike spent his whole life serving in the church. He served in many callings but especially loved serving the Young Men and in the Temple. He served as an ordinance worker in the Las Vegas LDS Temple for many years and in 2016 was called as assistant Temple Recorder. In 2010, Mike and Gloria were called as missionaries to the Sierra Leone, Freetown Mission in Africa where they loved and served the people for 18 months.

Out of all of Mike’s accomplishments in life, he always said being a dad was the best thing he ever did. He loved his five children beyond measure and was truly an extraordinary father. He is survived by his beautiful wife, Gloria, and their children: Elizabeth Patterson and Mitch Ziontz; Brent Patterson; Vicki and Morgan Daines; Emilie and Branden Campbell; Connor and Kathleen Patterson; 13 amazing grandchildren; his younger sister and brother-in-law Ellen and Derek Ayson; and niece and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Marilyn Patterson Boston.

Visitation services will be Friday Oct. 27th from 6-8 p.m. at Palm Northwest Mortuary 6701 N. Jones Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89131. Funeral services will be Saturday Oct. 28th at 10 a.m. at LDS Chapel 6051 Dorrell Ln. Las Vegas, NV 89131.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmnorthwest.com for the Patterson family.