BREVARD, NC – On Sunday, September 22, 2024, Frank J. Patton, Jr., passed away peacefully at home with his devoted wife Donna by his side. Frank was born to Miriam and Frank Patton on March 19, 1926, in Lakeland, Florida. When he was one year old, his family moved to Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, beginning his lifelong love of community in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Frank attended grammar school and high school in the Transylvania County Schools, proudly graduating in 1943 from Brevard High School with 33 other boys and 32 girls. He lived in the 1850s-era, white two-story Patton House at the entrance to Pisgah National Forest.

Frank attended Brevard College for two semesters before enlisting as a U.S. Army Air Force Corporal. At 131 pounds soaking wet, Frank was well-suited to be a ball turret aerial gunner in the belly of the B-24 bombers, graduating first in his class specializing in 50-caliber machine gun inspection and speed of assembly.

During World War II, he served 39 months primarily with the Headquarters staff of the 13th Air Force in the Philippines. Representing the U.S. Air Force from Clark Field in Luzon, Frank was personally decorated by President Manuel Roxas of the Philippines in the Malacanang Palace in Manila on July 4, 1946. This honor was bestowed when the Philippines' government gained independence from the United States.

Returning home to the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Frank and his young wife, Jean Vassey Patton, brought their babies, Pat and Jack, to live in student housing at Clemson University, where Frank graduated with an Agricultural Engineering degree in 1950.

After graduation, Frank worked with John Deere Company and stayed with them throughout his entire career, exemplifying his loyalty. In thirty-two years of faithful service, he held a variety of marketing positions, including Territory Manager, Division Sales Manager, Credit Manager, General Sales Manager, and Vice-President and General Manager of the Indianapolis and St. Louis sales branches.  Having never met a stranger, it is no surprise that he excelled in sales for John Deere.

Frank retired from John Deere in 1982 to care for his wife, Jean, who preceded him to eternal peace on May 1, 1985, after 38 years of marriage and five children.

In 1986, Frank found love again with Donna, meeting her at church in Portland, Oregon.  They married soon after in Carver, Oregon. Frank and Donna enjoyed hiking many trails that led them to beautiful waterfalls and building happy memories traveling in their small Jayco camper on the Oregon Coast.

1n 1994, Frank and Donna moved to Haines City, Florida, where together they managed and supervised the Patton family citrus groves which Frank's father had established after retiring from Ecusta Paper Mill. Together with their own groves, Frank and Donna managed over 12,973 trees. They boosted citrus productivity with thirty beehives to encourage honeybee pollination. The orange blossom honey was extracted in their garage, bottled in the kitchen, and sold in gift shops.

Frank's ostensible "retirement" was quite an adventure. The Florida citrus groves landed them in the company of alligators, wild boar, wild turkey, and armadillos, not to mention the biting-stinging fire ants under the citrus trees, which made their presence known as water jets were checked and changed. What crazy hard work that was, but they loved it!

Frank was elected to the Board of Directors of the Haines City Citrus Growers Association (HCCGA) in 1998, more than fifteen years after his retirement. It shows you how much of an impact Frank continued to make throughout his lifetime.

Frank liked to say, "If you're giving while you're living, you know where it's going." His motto was "think big, not little." Frank and Donna generously shared the fruits of their life labors with their neighbors in Transylvania County. Frank was particularly passionate about supporting the causes of children and youth, fiercely proud of the legacy of excellence in Transylvania County Schools.

Frank and Donna contributed to over 40 nonprofits and community organizations in the county.  Notable projects that Frank and Donna funded include the new turf field at Brevard High School in 2014, Brevard College's Frank Patton Track in 2015 and then the addition of a pole vault area and resurfacing of the track in 2024, and Transylvania Youth Soccer Association's new turf field, fencing, lighting, and parking in 2023. Other major donations include supporting matching gifts to The Cindy Platt Boys & Girls Club of Transylvania County and most recently, a transformative gift to The Transylvania Home Trust to provide critical funding for The Patton Place teacher housing project.

Who could forget the Pattons' "Cans for Band" effort? Not a music festival or social event ended without Donna and Frank digging through dumpsters to reclaim cans to recycle for the cost of aluminum. Beginning in 2015, Frank and Donna began funding the effort to replace all of the band instruments for Frank's high school alma mater, attending band competitions and cheering on the student musicians at every home football game.

Frank always had ideas to make Western North Carolina the best place to live for children and adults alike. He would always ask, "What if?" and "Why not?" If you knew Frank, you knew his deep and abiding love for our community. He didn't just give his money to causes; he gave freely and wholly of himself. He jumped in to lend a hand with an open heart.

He is survived by his wife Donna of 38 years; two brothers, Robert Patton of Cumming, Georgia, and William Patton of Andalusia, Alabama; two sons, Frank J. Patton, III (Beth), of Queenstown, Maryland; Thomas Patton (Janey) of Yachats, Oregon; two daughters, Barbara Patton Smiley (David) of Bloomington, Indiana, Carol Patton Wissenback (Bill) of Troutdale, Oregon; eight grandchildren, Sarah Cannon, Jenny Flanagan, and Kate Patton-Smith, Lauren Patton, Rick and Scott Thomas, Alex and Tyler Smiley; and twelve great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are his stepsons, Conor Markham, Ronald Horvath, and John Horvath, and four step-grandchildren, Kendra, Katrina, Alex and Kaden Horvath.

Frank's firstborn daughter, Mary Elizabeth (Pat) Gemmell (Jim) of Portland, Oregon, predeceased him in 2021.

In lieu of flowers, and in the spirit by which Frank lived his life, the family would be most grateful for donations made to Four Seasons Foundation at 211 N. Main Street, Hendersonville, NC 28792 or online at FourSeasonsFDN.org, or to any Transylvania County charitable organization.

Donna would like to extend her deepest gratitude to Joy and Katie of Four Seasons Hospice for their loving care to Frank in his final days.

Everyone is welcome to attend a celebration-memorial of his life, which will be held on Saturday, October 12th, 2024, at 2 p.m. in the Brevard High School Auditorium.

Online condolences may be left at www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.com.