ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 15, 1996 TAG: 9611150062
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: BEDFORD
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: JOANNE POINDEXTER STAFF WRITER
``BONA" PATTERSON usually could be seen supervising ball games, dances and festivals.
Edward L. "Bona" Patterson, a man who influenced a lot of Bedford children, died of a heart attack Tuesday.
The 40-year-old Patterson was a father figure or brother figure to many youngsters in Bedford County, said Fran Hart, director of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
With 23 years in the department, as a field supervisor and youth counselor, Patterson had some impact on many people in the city, Hart said. He was working with the children of some of his former charges.
"Anybody who had kids who went through the Bedford rec department was close to him," said Chris Burch with Carder-Tharp Funeral Home, where a memorial service will be conducted today at 11 a.m.
"He had a lot of integrity, but his personal commitment to children was probably his overriding purpose in life," Hart said. "He was very protective and went out of his way for children."
Hart recalls that Patterson, a fixture at Bedford's Edmund Street Park, would often sit with youngsters at school bus stops until the bus came. He supervised ball fields and open gym and attended nearly all special events such as park festivals and dances.
Patterson, a 1974 graduate of Liberty High School, started working for the parks while in high school. The National Youth Sports Coaches Association honored him in 1995 for his work and cited him for training more than 500 coaches.
He was a modest person who didn't seek out glory, Hart said. "He just did it because he felt this was right."
Patterson, a bachelor, is pictured with two children on the cover of the recreation department's new brochure.
"He was such a integral part of the department that every time we change seasons, the loss is going to be felt," Hart said. "It's a devastating loss."
LENGTH: Short : 46 linesby CNB