Obituary of James Edward Patterson

The maker of the Patterson Guitar passed away last Saturday morning. He was 87 years old. Jim was born at the Highland Hospital in Oakland, CA to Robert A. Patterson and Gertrude Genevieve McKinney. His family moved to Santa Cruz when he was 2 years old. He attended all the local schools, but he did not graduate from Santa Cruz High School. He quit and joined the Marines at the end of World War II. He spent a few years in China and was a member of the China Marines. In 1962 Jim wanted a 12 string guitar, but they were just too expensive, so he decided to make one. That was how he started making guitars as a hobby. He made either 306 or 307 guitars, plus he made an instrument called a dulcimer that has 4 strings and is played similar to a guitar. Jim was the printer for the City of Santa Cruz for almost 40 years. He printed every piece of paper the city used, including the parking tickets for the Police Dept. and all the letterheads for the different departments. He retired when he was 62 and spent all of his spare time making guitars. James enjoyed traveling. He went to Hong Kong, Nepal, Thailand and Burma. He liked Burma so much that he went there 7 times. It is such an interesting country. One of the cities named Pagon was sacked by Kubla Khan in the 1300's. There are several large places of over an acre in size where the people planted a Banyan tree with a seated stature of Buddha so the statue is in the shade as the tree grows. Jim is survived by his wife of 56 years, Rose Marie Robertson Patterson; a son, Charles Edward Patterson of Sonora; a daughter, Pamela Letitia Patterson Carey of Johnsonville, NY; a grandson, Thomas Carey; and 3 granddaughters, Patricia, Lauren and Susan Carey. His older brother by 3 years, Robert Patterson, died a few years ago. No services will be held. He will be cremated and scattered at sea. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to your favorite charity.