Gene Taylor Patton

Gene is survived by his wife of 33 years, Pam Purdy Patton, his daughters, Jerron Patton, Christy Rippin-Boyle and her husband Ryan Boyle, Cacey Patton and her husband Anthony Majors; his grandchildren, Brittany Hankins, Jacob Phillips, Ava Boyle and Shaun Majors; his great-grandchildren, Amiah Hankins, Carson Phillips, and Levi Fortune; his sister Sandra Barbera and brother-in-law Tim Barbera, residing in California; and his sweet and crazy little Maltipoo, Shiner Bark. Gene was preceded in death by his mother Ida Belle Ledbetter and her husband Bill Ledbetter, and his beloved goldendoodle, Buffy.

Gene’s journey with Alzheimer's was long, yet so fast. He battled hard in his last months, but the three things that never wavered were his love for his family, his sense of humor, and his cheering for the Cowboys.

Gene was a son, husband, father, stepfather, grandfather, and great-grandfather, affectionately called “Pappy”. Gene loved his family unconditionally; if you were fortunate enough to be in his circle of friends, he loved you too. His top priority was to ensure that he provided well for his family and that his family was well-loved. His face would light up seeing one of his girls pop in to say hello, always accompanied by the happiest “hey you” you’ve ever heard. He enjoyed bowling, fishing, grilling, the occasional trip to Winstar, and cheering for the Dallas Cowboys, especially when they were playing against his grandson’s favorite the Philadelphia Eagles. He loved hanging out with friends and family, drinking a cold one, and listening to music on his back patio.

He enjoyed the calls from old neighborhood friends and work buddies. They always had something comical to chat about, especially when it came to his longstanding Lockheed Martin friendships. Gene worked at Lockheed for an outstanding 35 years as a Reprographic Technician. His proudest career achievement was being appointed Vice President and Chief Union Steward of OPEIU.

We will miss his larger-than-life personality, wit, and kind heart. We invite you to share memories of Gene and celebrate his wonderful life with the family on Friday, September 29 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon at Laurel Land Funeral Home and Memorial Park in the Laurel Room, 7100 Crowley Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76134. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.