Joel Herman Patterson

SUGAR HILL - Joel H. Patterson, 77, died unexpectedly on November 23, 2019, at Emory Johns Creek Hospital of liver and kidney failure. He was born on February 25, 1942, in Milledgeville, Georgia, the son of James H. and Jesse Ivilyn (Pasley) Patterson and brother of James Austin Patterson. Joel was as student and ROTC participant at Grady High School. After an introduction by his best friend, Tony, Joel dated and married Tony's sister, Patricia A. Turner, in 1965. They were sweethearts for 57 years. They gave birth to one daughter, Patricia JoEllen Patterson in 1968. Joel began his career, while in high school, as a meat cutter. He continued his career in electronics for Scientific Atlanta, EASI (Electronic Assembly Services) and retired from Standard Register as a bookmaker and quality control officer. During his career, he treasured his co-workers and customers and treated them like family. Joel was always very generous and never met a stranger. He was always ready with a joke to tell. His doctors and nurses loved him! He had a great love for his family and a tender heart for stray cats and kittens. His passions were video, light and sound engineering at Glover Baptist, Shadowbrook Baptist and Zion Hill Baptist churches. At family functions and on vacations, he always had a camera in his hand. He enjoyed several genres of music and listened, daily. He also enjoyed maintaining an antiques and collectibles booth, with his wife, in Flowery Branch. He was an avid collector of diecast model cars, belt buckles, 8-tracks/albums/cassettes/CDs, and lighthouses. He had a love for Disney World, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, St. Petersburg/Treasure Island and Panama City, Florida. Any opportunity to travel, Joel was ready for it. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by Annie Mae James Turner (mother-in-law); Samuel W. Turner (father-in-law); Georgia Lane Turner (mother-in-law); Sheila Turner Hassebrock (sister-in-law); and, Anthony (Tony) W. Turner (brother-in-law). Surviving, in addition to his wife, brother and daughter, are: Sisters-in-law - Betty Bunn Patterson, Patricia Kraft Turner, Cecilia Turner Jones and Karon Gilmore Hassebrock; Brothers-in-law - Donald R. Hassebrock and Michael A. Jones; Nieces - Cathy Patterson Bodine, Lisa Hassebrock Johnson, Sinead Waters Turner; Nephews - Christopher W. Turner and J. David Hassebrock; Great-nieces - Maggie, Katie, and Molly Turner; Great-nephews - Robert and Michael Bodine, Samuel Jones, Parker and Paxton Hassebrock, and Brody Johnson; Cousins - Larry and Gordon Seals, Russ, Steve, David and Janet McGee, and their families. Following a 1-2 p.m. visitation, a service of remembrance will be officiated by Rev. Bobby Linkous at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Flanigan's Funeral Home in Buford, Georgia. Reception following, on-site. Those who wish to remember Joel in a special way may make gifts in his memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.