David “Red” Earl Patterson, 88, of Palmyra, passed away peacefully with his loving family by his side on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, at the Londonderry Village. He was born Sunday, Apr. 24, 1932, in Munhall, to the late Walter and Olive (Link) Patterson. After the death of his father in 1937 and his mother in 1939, David and his brothers, Arthur and James, were placed in the Episcopal Church Home in Pittsburgh. In 1943, his grandmother enrolled the three brothers in the Hershey Industrial School, now Milton S. Hershey School, where he got his nickname, “Red.”
As a student at H.I.S., he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. He was inducted into the Milton Hershey School Spartan Hall of Fame in recognition of Outstanding Achievement in Athletics on Sept. 29, 2017. He received a second Hall of Fame Award on Sept. 21, 2018, when the 1949 H.I.S. Baseball Team was inducted into the Hall of Fame. After graduation in 1950, he returned to the Pittsburgh area, where he worked at the Bethlehem Steel Mill and in his uncle’s plumbing business. After 18 months, he came back to the Hershey area and was employed by TRW in Harrisburg and played on their baseball team, which was part of the Harrisburg Twi-Light Semi-Pro League. He also played baseball for the Hershey Twi-Light Semi-Pro League and played one season of semi-pro football for the Lebanon 5th Ward Gold Gophers.
He served in the United States Army in Korea from 1952 to 1954. He played baseball on an Army team while stationed in Korea. He retired from Local 520 Plumbers & Pipefitters Union in 1996, after 27 years of service.
He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Lorraine (Geib) Patterson, two sons, Jeffrey, and wife, Marlies, of NJ, and Timothy, of Harrisburg, PA, three grandsons, Lance, and wife, Brianna, of NJ, Jeffrey, and wife, Laura, of Philadelphia, PA, and Gerhard, of NJ, a granddaughter, Marie, of NJ, a step-grandson, Lars Branoff, of NJ, as well as one great-granddaughter, Stella, of NJ, three sisters-in-law, Virginia, Marion, and Patty Patterson, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by three sisters and three brothers, Alice Beacraft, of Jacksonville, NC, Mary Seward, of Columbia, SC, Florence Patterson, of Homestead, PA, Walter Patterson, Marietta, of GA, Arthur Patterson, of Knoxville, PA, and James Patterson, of Hobbs, NM.
A funeral service will be held Friday, Jan. 22, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. at Rothermel-Finkenbinder Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., 25 W. Pine St., Palmyra, PA 17078. Family and friends are invited for a viewing from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will follow in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his honor to Londonderry Village, 1200 Grubb Rd., Palmyra, PA 17078.
Condolences and memories may be shared at www.finkenbinderfamily.com
