Obituary of Jack Patterson

Jack Patterson, 81, of Munroe Falls, longtime sportswriter for the Akron Beacon Journal, died peacefully Saturday, January 22, 2011.  Jack, the son of John and Kathlyn Patterson, grew up in Warren, Ohio, and attended Ohio State University. He served in the U.S. Army for two years and was stationed in Germany with the 28th Division. He started his journalism career at the Warren Tribune, where he was assistant sports editor. Jack married Barbara Lyntz, his classmate at Warren G. Harding High School, in 1954. The Pattersons moved to Akron and later Munroe Falls, where they raised five children. Jack joined the Beacon Journal in 1955 and served as a sports reporter, columnist, and editor. Over his 38 years at the Beacon he covered the Ohio State Buckeyes and wrote about countless other sports, including professional football, baseball, golf and bowling. But his real love was horse racing — he wrote the handicapping feature Patterson's Picks and covered numerous Triple Crown races. He and Barbara attended 31 Kentucky Derby events over the years. Jack was preceded in death by Barbara, whom he still referred to as his bride after 55 years of marriage. He will be dearly missed by sons Mike (Michelle) of Boca Raton, Florida, and John (Amy) of Cuyahoga Falls; daughters Kathy of North Canton, Valerie of Tallmadge and Patricia (Scott) of San Jose, California; and grandchildren Kaitlyn and Kassidy; Zane, Jessa and Joy; Mike, Molly and Nick; Amber; and Andrew and Dan.   Calling hours will be held Thursday, January 27th from 5 to 8 PM at Redmon Funeral Home in Stow, with a memorial service Friday at 1 p.m. at Northampton United Methodist Church in Cuyahoga Falls.  Private burial will be at Silver Springs Cemetery in Stow.