Lawrence Edward Patterson

ERWIN — Lawrence Edward Patterson, 78, died Tuesday morning, Dec. 11, 2018, at the SECU Hospice House in Smithfield following a courageous battle for the second time with cancer.

He was born Jan. 22, 1940, in Atlanta, Ga., to the late James Madison Patterson and the late Elsie Florine Wells Sawyer. He grew up in Miami, Fla., and moved to Erwin in 1981.

Mr. Patterson retired from Austin Quality Foods (Kelloggs) in Cary as an industrial maintenance mechanic. He was a member of Sansom Community Church.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, April Lyn Patterson Loveless; his sister, Linda P. Rainsville; and brothers, Junior, Gene, Marion, Billy, Richard and Ronald Patterson.

Survivors include his wife of close to 59 years, Jessie Hodges Patterson; daughter, Laura Ruth Patterson of Dunn; grandchildren, Candace Hoover and husband Dan of Erwin, Joshua Walsh and wife Maranda of Dunn, Christa Eason and fiance Nico Ciambotti of Charlotte, and Amber Crane and husband Trey of Suffolk, Va.; great-grandchildren, Amara and Connor Walsh, Ethan and Isaac Hoover and Sawyer Crane; son-in-law, Doug Loveless of Erwin; sister, Barbara Almyda and husband J.R. of Interlachen, Fla.; brother, Buddy Patterson of Orlando, Fla.; sisters-in-law, Joyce Anderson of Angier, Jean Romines and husband Oliver of Sevierville, Tenn., Paulette Kennison and husband Bobby of Godwin; Mary Patterson of Lake City, Fla., and Donna Patterson of Sarasota, Fla.; brothers-in-law, Tommy Hodges of Midlothian, Va., Larry Hodges of Cullman, Ala., and Jerry Hodges and wife Susie of Dunn; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday, December 14, 2018 at Sansom Community Church outside of Dunn with the Rev. Jerome Pope and Rev. Joshua Walsh presiding. A visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks memorials be made in honor of Mr. Patterson to SECU Hospice House, 26 Hospital Road, Smithfield, NC 27577.

Arrangements are in the care of Cromartie-Miller Funerals & Cremations, Dunn.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.cromartiemiller.com.