Gerald Ross Patterson

It is with heavy hearts that the family shares the passing of Gerald “Jerry” Ross Patterson, from Madras Oregon, on June 7, 2024 at the age of 83.

Jerry was born on June 24, 1940, to Leonard and Nina (Ofe) Patterson in Lewellen, Nebraska.  At the age of two, Jerry’s family packed up and headed west, eventually making their home in Arock, Oregon after stops in Nevada and Jordan Valley Oregon.  From a young age, Jerry’s spirit and way of life embodied that of a true American cowboy.  Even as a child, Jerry rarely ventured far from one of his horses, to the extent that he even rode one through the doors of his one-room schoolhouse in Arock. As a teenager, Jerry began to pursue his lifelong passion for rodeo as a bareback and bull rider.

After graduating from Jordan Valley High School in 1958, Jerry continued with his rodeo career while also pursuing work as a ranch hand in the Jordan Valley area.  Through one of those jobs, Jerry would meet the love of his life; the boss’s daughter, Dotha J. Raburn.  The couple began their 58 years of marriage on June 18, 1966 and relocated to Madras, Oregon, where Jerry had taken a job with Madras Cattle Feeders.  It was during this time that Jerry received formal training as a butcher and helped build the Madras Meat Market, which years later became a local dining establishment known as The Meet Market (currently Wild Winds Station).  In 1971, Jerry and Dotha purchased their nearly 200-acre family farm/ranch northeast of Madras, on which they would raise their family.  That same year, Jerry began a 23-year career with Portland General Electric, retiring in 1994 as a hydroelectric operator. 

Throughout his entire life, Jerry continued to pursue his passion for competitive rodeo.  In anticipation of having a family, he retired from the more dangerous rough stock events (bareback and bull riding) shortly after marriage and redirected his focus to team roping. The choice to walk away from these beloved events was not an easy decision for the highly competitive cowboy. However, the sacrifice paled in comparison to the joys he would realize as a father, beginning with the birth of his son, Chuck, in 1968, followed in 1971 by his youngest son, Brett.  While there was always work to be done on the farm, Jerry was often able to find a way to pack up the camper and horse trailer for weekend team roping events, creating many cherished “off the farm” memories for his family.

Jerry’s love and unrelenting commitment to family was always a top priority.  From his mother and siblings to his many nieces and nephews, Jerry was seen as a pillar of stability.  For his wife, sons, daughters-in-law, he provided an ever-present sense of stability and comfort. For his granddaughters and great-granddaughter, he was all things previously mentioned (X100), with a bonus role of “playmate.” For all, Jerry was a role model who embodied the characteristics of loyalty, honesty, integrity, kindness, and an unrelenting work ethic.

Survivors include his wife, Dotha; sons and spouses, Chuck and Kimberly Patterson, Brett and Genevieve Patterson; granddaughters and spouses, Kaylee and Lee Hofman, Savannah and Austin Say; granddaughters, Emelia and Athena Patterson; great granddaughter, Hartlee Hofman; brothers, Robert Patterson and wife Juanita, Lowell Patterson; sister, Elaine White; brother-in-law, Jerry Raburn and wife Judy, and numerous nieces and nephews.  Jerry was preceded in death by father, Leonard, mother, Nina, father-in-law Oran “Shorty” Raburn, mother-in-law Doris Raburn, and nephew Alvin Patterson.

Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you, until we meet again grandpa. Until then, welcome to Heaven cowboy. Your entry fees are paid!

~ Kaylee (Patterson) Hofman

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