Philip Dinehart Patterson

Philip Dinehart Patterson passed away during the afternoon hours of Holy Thursday (April 6, 2023), at home and surrounded by loved ones.  He is survived by his wife of 56 years (Mary) and his four sons (Tom, Marty and Anthony of Pennsylvania; Joe of Ave Maria, Florida).  He is also survived by his 19 grandchildren (Matt, Clare, Helen, Steven, Julia, Joey, Elizabeth, Johnny, Timmy, David, Anne, Mary Rose, Danielle, Tommy, Patrick, Willie, Eddie, Bernadette, and Maximilian) and one great-grandchild (Emilia).  Phil was the second of four children (Phyllis, who passed in 2020; Johnny of Wisconsin; Chris of Colorado).

Known as Bips, Uncle Phil, and Butch, Phil Patterson was a great conversationalist who brought joy to everything he did.  Growing up, he lived in Indiana, Illinois, Utah, and Kentucky, but he found his home in Washington, D.C., where he studied at Georgetown University, earning his PhD in Economics.  He married Mary in 1966, and the couple lived in Washington for more than 40 years, later moving to Wheaton, Maryland.  The couple then moved to Hyndman, Pennsylvania, in 2022, before moving to Ave Maria, Florida, earlier this year.

For most of his career, Phil worked for the Department of Energy as a transportation analyst from the time of the agency’s founding (1977) until he retired in 2011.  He had several roles at DOE but was most excited about his role in the student competitions that were designed to foster research into alternative fuels. 

Phil was noted for his epic road trips, taking the family—and later just his wife—on long excursions that led him to all 50 states, several times over.  An enthusiastic supporter of his children, Phil will be remembered for his humility, joy, amiability, generosity, dependability, and steadfast faith.

A Catholic funeral Mass will be celebrated at Ave Maria Catholic Church on Tuesday April 11 at 10 a.m.  It will be preceded by a rosary and viewing at 9:20 a.m., also at Ave Maria Catholic Church.  Phil will be buried Friday April 14 at 10 a.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery in Bedford, Pennsylvania.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Phil Patterson to Human Life International (https://www.hli.org/giving/).