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Leroy Joseph Patton, 79, passed away Wednesday, August 2, 2006 at the Hospice Home in Phoenix.

Leroy Joseph Patton was born April 13, 1927 in Craig to I.C. and Grace Frazier Patton. Lee spent his early years on his parents homestead northeast of Craig and then lived in several states over the next several years before moving back to Craig. Lee attended high school in Craig, but did not graduate. Instead he joined the Army to serve in World War II. Lee "stretched the truth" about his age when he enlisted in the Army. He said that he was 18 years old when he was in fact only 17. Lee was in the Army's 10th Mountain Division and was stationed in Europe during the war.

After being discharged from the military, Lee married Jackie Brooks in 1948 in Las Vegas. Lee and Jackie had two children, a daughter Cheryl Lee Dawson and a stepson, Charles Jay Patton. Lee and Jackie were divorced in 1971. Lee then married Betty Hammat Johnson in December 1973 in Layton, Utah. Betty has two children, Duane Johnson and Carolea Garrett.

Lee and Betty built a cabin in Wilderness Ranch in the 1970s and thoroughly enjoyed the time they spent in the mountains. He also loved to spend time in his yard. Betty and Lee spent many hours driving around the roads in the Wilderness Ranch Subdivision looking for wildlife. Lee enjoyed hunting and fishing with his family. Lee also enjoyed better on horses at the race tracks in Craig and Rock Springs.

During his lifetime, Lee held various jobs. He was a maintenance general foreman in the facilities service branch of the directorate of supply at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. After 36 years, Lee retired from Hill Air Force Base to move to Craig in 1981.

Lee then worked for the Moffat County Memorial Hospital in the maintenance department and later worked in the maintenance department for Moffat County. He retired in 1987 after several years of service.

After retiring, Lee and Betty spent their retirement years in Craig during the summer months and in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., through the winter. In 2003, they sold their home in Craig and became year-round residents of Lake Havasu.

Lee is survived by his wife, Betty Lou Patton; brother Donald Patton of Snowflake, Ariz.; daughter Cheryl Dawson and her husband, Mike, of Falling Waters, W.Va.; step-son Duane Johnson and his wife, Beverly, of Craig; a step-daughter, Carolea Garrett and her husband, Gary, of Rock Springs, Wyo.; grandchildren Stacy Craig, of Phoenix, Nekole Smith, of Martinsburg, W.Va., Mikie Kreck of Pullman, Wash., Kim Zimmerman, of Craig, Monte Garret, of Rock Springs, Shad Johnson, of Grand Junction, and Robin Kofford, of Rock Springs.

Lee is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Lee was preceded in death by his parents, brother Kenneth Patton, sisters Irene Strickland and Georgia Rippy, and a step-son, Jay Patton.

Lee will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Services took place Friday, August 11 at Grant Mortuary with Mervin Johnson officiating. Musical selections were "Amazing Grace," "The Lord's Prayer," "How Great Thou Art," and "Green, Green Grass Home" by John Allen on guitar and accompanist was Anne Carr.

Pallbearers were Mike Kawcak, Jerry Downing, Shayne Zimmerman, Kelvin Stehle, Monte Garrett and Shad Johnson.

Honorary pallbearers were Donald Patton, Duane Johnson, Lee Kuchan, Walt DeVore, Larry Rippy, Mike Dawson, Gary Garrett, Joe Skufca, JR Rippy, David Patton, and Francis Rutherford. Internment followed in the Craig Cemetery with military honors by VFW Post No. 4265.