Girdell "G.W." Patterson • 1924 - 2011

Girdell “G.W.” Patterson, 86, who lived most of his life in Renville County, N.D., died in his sleep at his ranch home Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011. Mr. Patterson had a keen sense of place and of history, and during his lifetime, achieved recognition for his accuracy in historical research.
           
He was born Aug. 30, 1924, a son of Girdell “Dell” Patterson and Edith (Anderson) Patterson. The family lived on a farm in Ivanhoe Township, Renville County. He was raised there and on a farm four miles west of Carpio in White Ash Township, also in Renville County, where the family moved in 1931. He attended the township grade school. After his father was named warden of the State Penitentiary, the family moved to Bismarck. They lived in the warden’s mansion there, and young Girdell attended Bismarck Junior High School.
           
Following the Depression, the family moved back to the White Ash Township farm. Girdell entered Carpio High School and graduated from there in 1942. He then joined his father in the operation of the family farm, taking over the business after his father’s death in 1948.
           
He married Fern LeMay Sullivan on Oct. 25, 1947. After retiring from active farming and ranching in 1986, they continued to live on the farmstead, but rented out their crop and pasture acreage. The Pattersons’ son Daniel said the renters regarded Girdell as their father. While his parents did some traveling, they always came back to the farm place they loved, Dan said. Girdell remained there after his wife died Sept. 30, 2007.
           
He read widely. His preferred topics were agriculture and history, with a particular focus on the history of the western United States and of North Dakota. He concentrated much of his reading interest on the Lewis & Clark expedition. He was contacted frequently by historians at the University of North Dakota for his research on some aspect of area history. Over the years he had written numerous articles for such publications as True West magazine, the Minot Daily News and the Kenmare News.
           
He maintained hobbies in weaponry and photography. He was a founder in the early 1950s of the Des Lacs Valley Rifle Club. He won the North Dakota State Smallbore Outdoor Championship in 1957. He was the winner of the Canadian National High Power Rifle Championship at Calgary, Alberta, in 1975. In August 1978, he was among a select group of civilians invited to participate in the high power rifle matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. He was unanimously inducted into the North Dakota Shooting Sports Association Hall of Fame for his marksmanship in 1994.
           
Some of his photographs were reproduced in the magazine, Popular Photography. One of his pictures was of his cattle on a hillside at the farm with the sun setting in the background. Editors of the magazine declared the photo the most striking they had ever seen of a sunset, his son Dan said.
           
Girdell held a life membership in the National Rifle Association and was a member of the Carpio Lutheran Church.
           
Dan, who was a frequent visitor to the farm, said his father kept a journal. When he was called home following his father’s death, he opened the journal and found the following entry for Feb. 5, 2011, the last day of his life:
           
                        I had a full day. Drove to Kenmare. Shopped for groceries at the Super
            Valu. Returned to the farm to put away the groceries. Went to Carpio to get the
            mail and had coffee with several friends at the Carpio Café. Then traveled to
            Berthold to visit with Jean Fegley. Returned home to the farm. Turned in for a
            nap. That evening I drove to Minot and had supper at the Homesteader, my
            favorite restaurant. Returned to the farm.

His son Dan said he had been reading a book on rope making. He died in his sleep with the book nearby. “He graduated from the weariness of this world to eternal life with God the Father,” Dan said.

Survivors: son, Dr. Daniel Patterson, rural Littleton, Colo.; sisters-in-law, Doroles and Helen Haaland, both of Minot; a number of nieces and nephews; three cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife, Fern, his parents, and a half brother, Raymond Patterson.

Funeral: Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011, at 2 p.m. at Carpio Lutheran Church.

Burial: First Lutheran Cemetery, Carpio.

Visitation: Friday from noon to 7 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Girdell’s son Daniel prefers that no cash memorials be given in his father’s name. He would prefer that his father’s friends remember him in their prayers and thoughts.           

Officiant Pastor Jason Arthur – Berthold Baptist Church

Scripture Readings
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
John 14:1-12

Music  
Special CD Music Selections recorded by his son, Dr. Daniel Patterson
 “Mansion Over The Hilltop”, “Peace In The Valley” and “How About Your Heart?”
Colleen Peterson, Organist
Processional Hymn “How Great Thou Art”

Active Bearers: Jim Pearson, Clayton Patterson, Jon Schultz, Tom Pearson, Jean Fegley, Wes Peterson, Alan Erickson

Following the graveside service, please join the family for a time of fellowship and lunch in the fellowship hall. 

Our family would like to thank all of you for your many acts of kindness. Your thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated during this difficult time. May God bless the memory of G.W..

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