Obituary: Barbara Louise Patterson

Barbara Louise Patterson, age 70, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, December 31, 2022. Barbara was born on April 10, 1952 in Marshfield, Wisconsin, the daughter of James and Eileen (Tollefson) Patterson.

She graduated from Brillion High School in 1970. A year later she went off to Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa, graduating in 1975. She began working with Continental Baptist Missions (CBM) in Escanaba, Michigan after graduation. She followed CBM to Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1977 working there for several years. After leaving CBM she spent most of her career working in the insurance industry in Grand Rapids and then Appleton when she moved back to Wisconsin in 1998. She received her Masters degree in Christian Counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University in the early 2000’s and served a number of Fox Valley organizations through their Employee Assistance Programs for 10 years.

Being an extraordinary, loving Aunt was one of her most prized roles in life. She was always there with a loving hug, a listening ear, ready to share in the joys or give advice through uncertainty and struggle. Her influence and impact in the lives of her family will be felt for generations to come. Barbara always enjoyed the wonder of nature: exploring High Cliff State Park, pontoon boat rides in the Northwoods, ocean views touring around Alaska, and even segway tours in Door County. Her adventurous spirit continued to grow in her later years to include travel around the country and then the world. Experiencing South Korea, Ireland, and Scotland with family brought her such delight. Her kind and devoted heart was ever present as she spent time and cared for her parents in their final years. Her Christian faith never wavered, even when faced with the daunting diagnosis of terminal cancer. She trusted to the end that God knew what was best for her and did not hesitate to share that with others.

She is survived by her loving siblings, Jef (Iva) Patterson, Hastings, Michigan; Dik (Colleen) Patterson, Park Falls; Faith (Steve) Cochrane, Boulder Junction; and Steve (Jessica) Patterson, Tomahawk. She is also survived by 10 nieces and nephews: Jasmine Woods, Trevor and Christian Patterson; Timothy, Cynthia and Matthew Patterson; Andrew and Kaitlin Cochrane; Marcus and Vanessa Patterson; 13 great nieces and nephews: Cordelia Woods, Payton and Mason Diehl, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Frederick Patterson, Amelia, Taliesin and Emmett Patterson; Wylla Patterson and Eleanor Sultanum; Lucas and Benjamin Cochrane. She was preceded in death by her parents and one nephew, Nicolas Ryan Patterson.

Services will be held at Woodruff Baptist Church, Woodruff, Wisconsin on Saturday, January 7, 2023 with visitation from 9:00 A.M. to the time of service at 11:00 A.M. A luncheon will be served following the service. Burial will be at a later date. www.bolgerfuneral.com