Alfred "Pat" Pattee

PAT PATTEE passed away quietly from natural causes on Wednesday morning, February 12, 2020. He was 81 years old. He leaves behind his wife of 35 years, Carmen Kohl-Pattee; his stepdaughter, Lisa Trapold; his son, Patton J. Pattee, Sr., and spouse Lona Jean of Elgin, Oregon; daughter, Kimberlea Snegirev and spouse Tony of Salem, Oregon; 7 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

Pat was born and raised in a family-built home in North Portland on January 17, 1939, an only child born to Alfred Asa and Frances Pattee. He grew up in North Portland, attended St. Johns Christian Church, and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1957. His passions included radio broadcasting, music, night club entertaining and racing and he found a way to incorporate all of his passions into the person who became Pat Pattee. He raced stock cars and participated in many a demolition derby at the Portland Speedway and up and down the West Coast. Racing extended to the water as he raced speedboats on the Columbia River. He formed his own jazz and blues band, the Pat-Tones, and was a very talented drummer; his band played many of the Portland blues clubs in the ‘50’s.

His radio career began when he signed with Star Broadcasting Chain at just 20 years old. After attending Broadcasting School in Burbank, California, and Northwest School of Broadcasting in Portland, Oregon, he also taught broadcasting for a short time. That journey took him to places like Pocatello, Idaho; Helena, Montana; Omaha, Nebraska; Vancouver, Washington and back to Portland, Oregon. Dubbed “The Preacher”, Pat rose to disc jockeying fame when he landed at KISN radio in Portland, Oregon, as one of the original KISN Good Guys. May 1, 1959, his, was one of two voices to sign KISN Radio on the air. The Preacher’s deep baritone voice could be heard across the airwaves from 12 midnight to 6:00 A.M. As he was the only DJ with an engineer’s license, he had the unique experience of broadcasting from the transmitter on Smith Lake in North Portland where he often had to arrive at work via a boat. Pat, along with the other KISN Good Guys, was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2018.

Later in his career, Pat’s disc jockeying talents again shone at a multitude of nightclubs in and around the Portland/Vancouver area. He performed at “The Crossing Restaurant and Lounge” alone for 5 years. Pattee fans were treated to Pat’s entertaining antics as he guided the evening into a bevy of 50’s and 60’s Rock and Roll, as well as big band selections, R & B, and blues music. His rapid-fire vocals were not to be outdone by his extensive knowledge of local and national artists of every genre. In talking to him, he offered an abundance of information about Portland’s music and racing scene. Pat Pattee lived life on his own terms and will be missed by all who shared his love for the beats that touch the soul of man.

This is Pat Pattee . . . signing off.