James Aubrey "Jim" Patterson went home to heaven on April 17, 2025 after having lived a useful 84 years and 11 months. He was born in Vicksburg, MS on May 13, 1940 to Pat and Lucille White Patterson, the seventh of twelve children. While Jim was still young, the family moved to Lapanto, AR where he grew up.

After graduating from high school, Jim and three friends joined the Navy. It was the beginning of a 25 year military career that saw him transition to the Air Force and become an expert air traffic controller. Following retirement from the Air Force, Jim continued working at Columbus Air Force Base, flight simulator. His life was guided by the principles of "Duty, honor, country: what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be for God, family, and country", and he reflected these very well.

Jim had a quick wit and a ready laugh. He was known for giving nicknames to his children and grandchildren and for joking with them, doing his best to share a laugh with them. He loved all Little Debbie snacks and was generous with his stash of them! On garbage pickup days, he kept a sharp ear out for the garbage truck so he could meet the men outside with a sack full of Little Debbies!

Jim received Christ as his Savior through vacation Bible school. As an adult, he realized that Bible school was a good opportunity to plant seeds of salvation in young hearts, and he was a regular volunteer in his church's annual vacation bible school. Because of his passion about children coming to know Christ as their Savior, he was also heavily involved with Operation Christmas Child and with his church's mission activities involving children.

When damage- producing storms came through Columbus, Jim would be the first person to show up at the house of someone who could not clean up their own yard, and he would stay until the job was done.

Jim's hobbies included birding and fishing. He could identify almost any bird in the southeast by sight or from the bird's song, and each March, he liked to be the first in Columbus to report a returning hummingbird! Regarding fishing, he said, "I don't know the secret to happiness, but I've never been sad fishing!"

Jim is survived by his wife Dianne and by his children William Dean Patterson and Samantha Jaymes McFarland; by his stepdaughters Tammy Lester and Terry McMinn. He is also survived by his six grandchildren- Sydnee, Carlyn, Noelle, Clint, Kenny, and Josh; and by two great grandchildren – Lilly and Kodi. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by nine siblings and is survived his brothers Floyd Patterson and Troy Patterson and by lots of nieces and nephews.

The family request that memorials be given to East End Baptist Church (P.O. Box 8480, Columbus, MS 39705) or to Samaritan's Purse (P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607.)

A celebration of life service will be held at East End Baptist Church (380 MS50, Columbus, MS) on Tuesday, April 22, at 3:00 P.M. with visitation at 2:00 P.M.