The Reverend James Franklin Patten

Jim was born on July 31, 1927 in Tujunga, California. He died at home in his sleep on April 20, 2011 in Portland, Oregon. Jim lived in Glendale, California for most of his early years. He attended Hoover High School where he played basketball and baseball. He enlisted in the army towards the end of World War II and then attended Pepperdine College, in California, for a year and graduated from Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. After attending San Francisco Theological Seminary he was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 1954 and served seven churches in Washington, California, and Oregon. His last church was Savage Memorial Presbyterian Church where he served for three years as an interim pastor. Jim was a mentor to many people studying for ministry while serving on Cascade Presbytery’s Committee on Preparation for Ministry. As Jim grew older his theological perspective became more progressive. He grew to be very open to many ideas and respected people from other faith traditions. He also had a passion for justice and fairness that stayed steady his entire ministry.

Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Pat Patten; one brother, Robert Patten and his wife Arlene; a sister-in-law, Marilyn Patten; three sons: Jim, Dan, and Stephen Patten, and his wife Synda; one daughter, Kathleen and her husband Paul Moss; seven grandchildren: Brook Patten, Justin Patten, Angela Eversaul, Carinn Albert, Caitlin Patten, Emma Moss, and Abby Moss; and four great-grandchildren.

Jim was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He had a great sense of humor and loved to tell stories. He dearly loved playing with and talking to his grandchildren. He was also active in many community programs, including the drug council for Parkrose High School, and as a volunteer grandpa in an elementary school after his retirement. He cared deeply for the welfare of children, both his own and the community’s.