The Life of WILLIAM HENRY PATTERSON
William “Bill” H. Patterson, 81, passed away at Bright Kavanagh on Sunday, September 22, 2013.
Bill was born on November 20, 1931 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated High School and completed two years of formal education at the University of Minnesota. In addition to Des Moines, Bill also resided in New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Arizona.
Bill married Lowaine Jane Woods who preceded him in death. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force as a B-29 Bomber Pilot during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1951.
Bill was employed as an Air Craft Mechanic for Trans America Airline until his retirement in 1985. After retirement, Kevin Smith and Bill started to build a flight simulator called Fly Iowa. Bill and his wife, Lowaina traveled Iowa to elementary schools to let kids experience flight. Fly Iowa is now being restored at Indian Hills Community College where Bill served as a member of the board.
Below is a passage taken from Ann Holtgren Pellegreno''s book "Iowa Takes to the Air, Volume Three 1941 - 2003", published through Aerodrome Press.
“Bill and Lowaina Patterson, who was born in Des Moines, both became licensed aircraft mechanics. They returned to Des Moines in 1986. Bill had worked with aircraft most of his life. The couple took a simulator named Fly Iowa to many schools and aviation events. To complete the simulator, Bill used his experience in both flying and working on aircraft. He soloed a J-3 in August 1947, received his private license later that year, and then added a commercial license with instrument and multi-engine ratings. In 1954, he obtained his mechanics licenses. After first working for Western Airlines, he flew copilot on a C-46 for AXICO, the civilian contractor for the Logistic Air Command. In 1960, he began working for Saturn Airways, alternating between mechanic and pilot duties. He added the I.A. rating in 1962. After being a fixed base operator in Utah from 1964 to 1968, he began mechanic duties for Universal Airlines. The following year he worked at Overseas National Airlines. Returning to Utah, he started the Ogden Mobile Services, where he repaired aircraft and overhauled cargo systems for airlines. He then resumed working for Saturn in 1973, but kept his business open. Saturn Airways became Trans International Airline, and then, in 1980, Transamerica Airlines, which had government and military contracts. Patterson closed his business in 1980 after he was transferred to Phoenix, Arizona, where he operated the maintenance base until 1981. At that time it was decided that, as a senior line maintenance representative, he was to be used where needed and many moves followed. Forced to retire after a heart attach in 1986, he moved to Des Moines the following year. Wanting to be active in aviation he joined the Aerospace Education Council of Iowa. Also, he made his many specialty tools available to persons building aircraft. He finished the flight simulator Fly Iowa, which he and Lowaina began taking to schools in May 1993.
Bill Patterson received the first I-DOT Aviation Promotion/Education Award in 1994. That was presented to a person who had excelled in promoting aviation and aviation education in Iowa the previous year. In 1997, he received the 1997 North Central Region Category IV Frank G. Brewer Civil Air Patrol Memorial Aerospace Award.”
Bill is survived by his sister, Betty Gruenwald, son, David (Laura) Patterson, step-son, Dan Ziegler, and very close friends, Ann Holtgren Pellegreno, Kevin Smith, David and Natasha Morrow and Kevin “Hap” Cratty, as well as many many others.
In addition to his wife, Lowaine, he was preceded in death by his niece, Sherry Kay and other extended family members.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 28, 2013 at the Stroll Inn, 805 17th Avenue SW in Altoona.