On Monday, the Oxford area lost not only its county commissioner, but a devoted servant and friend of the community for more than 40 years.
Oakland County Commissioner William R. Patterson (R-Oxford) passed away at the POH Medical Center in Pontiac October 16 after being hospitalized for a week. He was 75.
Elected to office in November 1998, Commissioner Patterson represented District #1, which includes Oxford, Addison, Brandon and Groveland townships, two precincts in Independence Twp. and the villages of Oxford, Leonard and Ortonville.
Patterson was seeking his fifth consecutive two-year term in next month’s general election.
‘He was a great county commissioner,? said longtime Oxford resident and close friend Helen Smith, who served as Patterson’s campaign treasurer during all five elections. ‘He represented his people well.?
‘He was just a great, kind human being. And whatever he decided to do, he would succeed,? she added.
A beloved and respected public figure, Patterson was many things to many people ? longtime pharmacist, downtown merchant, Rotarian, school board member, jokester, devoted University of Michigan fan, close friend, dedicated family man. ‘His influence was felt in so many different areas,? said Joe Bullen, longtime Oxford resident, close friend and fellow Rotarian.
Still considered a ‘newcomer? to Oxford, Patterson, a native of Clawson, landed here in January 1964 when he purchased the pharmacy at the southwest corner of Washington and Burdick streets from Lee Van Wagoner.
A U-M graduate who bled Maize and Blue, Patterson had been a registered pharmacist since February 1956.
Patterson Prescription Pharmacy, still in business today, became a familiar fixture in downtown Oxford as the man in the crisp white shirt behind the counter earned people’s trust with his integrity, friendly attitude and professionalism. He became a man generations of local families turned to.
‘He has such a good rapport with his customers,? recalled son-in-law Tim Davidson, who worked with Patterson and bought the pharmacy from him in 1994. ‘He knew his customers by name.?
His knowledge and skill as a pharmacist combined with his ‘casual demeanor, quick wit and sense of humor? endeared him to customers, Davidson said.
Unlike the impersonal chain drugstores popping up everywhere, Patterson wasn’t just a dispenser of medications. In this small town, he was a community leader, an employer of local young people, a man who’s counsel was sought in matters both great and small.
Outside Oxford, he was a leader in his field serving as past president of the Michigan Pharmacists Association in 1989 (MPA) and Oakland County Pharmacists Association, founding member and trustee of the Michigan Pharmacy Foundation, and past member of the U-M College of Pharmacy Alumni Board of Governors.
He was recognized by the MPA with the Bowl of Hygeia Award in 1996 for outstanding contributions to his field and participating in community and government activities that reflected well on the pharmacy profession.
‘I have the utmost respect for him as a pharmacist, as a professional,? Davidson said.
Being a pharmacist was his profession, but people were Patterson’s business.
‘You could meet him once and he would remember your name, even if you didn’t see him for a long time,? Smith said. ‘He had a remarkable memory for names.?
‘He had the nicest way of telling you that you were wrong in a way that made you feel good about being wrong,? said fellow Rotarian Bill Devine, of Addison. ‘He was a people-person.?
Patterson gave back to the community from which he derived his living by serving on the Oxford Board of Education from 1967-75 (serving as president for three years) and being a devoted member of the Rotary Club of Oxford for decades.
A Rotarian through and through, he served as the club’s president in 1971. Patterson was bestowed the highest award a Rotarian can receive, being named a Paul Harris Fellow, in 1982. Devine described Patterson’s commitment to the Rotary Club as ‘solid.?
‘This was his club,? he said. ‘He believed in the good that Rotary does and he worked hard to perpetuate it.?
As chairman of Rotary’s membership committee, Patterson was a tireless cheerleader for the club’s growth.
‘Our last three new members are people that he brought into the club just this year,? Bullen said.
Rotarian John Fizel called Patterson ‘the wit of the Oxford Rotary Club.?
‘He brought a lot of joy and happiness to this whole club,? Fizel said. ‘Never in the years I’ve know him had I ever seen him perturbed, upset, mad ? he was always jovial. It’s a great loss to this club and this community, and to the (county) commission. We’ll miss him.?
A past president and member of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce, Patterson was named the organization’s Man of the Year for 1982.
Patterson served on the Crossroads for Youth Board of Directors until his passing. He was also a past master of the Oxford Masonic Lodge 84, past director of the Royal Order of Jesters Court 28, past president of the North Oakland Shrine Club, a member of the Scottish Rite, Moslem Shrine Temple, Rochester Shrine Club and a charter member of the Clawson-Troy Elks Club.
When Patterson retired in 1994 and sold the pharmacy to Davidson, he could have quietly rode off into the sunset. He could have, but he didn’t. That wasn’t his style.
In 1998, the Republican decided to run for the open District #1 seat on the county board of commissioners. A popular man in Oxford, Patterson easily won the election and kept winning three more times.
When he filed to run for his fourth term in 2004, Patterson explained why he loved being a county commissioner so much ? ‘I enjoy it. I think I’m doing a good job representing the people of District #1. I listen to them and handle their complaints in a timely manner. I get a lot of calls at home. I like to hear from residents.?
Bullen said it was a ‘pleasure? to have Patterson as Oxford’s county commissioner because his constituents knew what to expect from him unlike some people when they get elected to office.
‘He’s not going to change. He’s not a chameleon,? he said. ‘You know he’s going to carry the message back (from his district to the county) . . . He stayed true to his roots.?
Smith said Patterson always kept abreast of the serious issues facing the communities in his district.
‘Anything that was controversial, he would be there,? she said. ‘Most politicians you don’t see until its time to be re-elected, but Bill didn’t operate that way. He was always visible in his area.?
Never a hard man to track down, Patterson was constantly in the public eye, attending local meetings, awards ceremonies and ribbon-cuttings. Every year he could be seen driving his classic car in Leonard’s Strawberry Festival parade and Oxford’s Christmas parade.
A lover of the spotlight, Patterson was a natural in front of an audience. If you gave him a microphone, you would be hard-pressed to get it back as he told joke after joke and relayed funny stories about local people, past and present. Give him a person’s name and he’d recall a story or three about them.
‘He was a guy that you could joke with and never took things seriously ? knowingly all the time that you really loved him and he gave that back,? Bullen said.
Patterson is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ruth, and children Mary Jo (Brad) Bierwirth, Teri (Brad) Jacobsen, Jean (Tim) Davidson, all of Oxford, Rick (Pam) Patterson, of Ortonville, and Barbara (Chris) Kaiser, of Charlotte. He’s also survived by brother Robert (Dorothy) Patterson, of California, and 14 loving grandchildren.
Visitation will be at the Oxford Chapel of Huntoon Funeral Home (47 N. Washington St.) on Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. and again on Thursday, Oct. 19 from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.
A Masonic Lodge service will be held at 7:30 p.m. during the Thursday visitation.
Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20 at the Oxford United Methodist Church (21 E. Burdick St.).
Memorial contributions to the Rotary Club of Oxford, Crossroads for Youth, Shriner’s Hospitals or Oxford United Methodist Church are appreciated as are floral tributes.