Darrell Dean Patterson

Darrell Dean Patterson, 78, of Idaho Falls, passed away at home July 19, 2020. He was under the care of his loving family and Nuclear Care Partners.

Darrell was born September 26, 1941, in Eugene, Oregon, to Lysle Joseph Patterson and Ethel Lucille Lloyd Patterson. He grew up and attended schools in the Willamette Valley and in Ontario, Oregon. Darrell graduated from Ontario High School in 1960. He attended Oregon Technical Institute where he earned his Associate Degree in Electronics. He also attended Utah State University in Logan and the University of Idaho. He served in the Army National Guard in the states of Oregon, Utah, and Idaho from 1961-1968.

On April 6, 1963, he married Terry Ann Bell at the First Baptist Church in Ontario. Early in his career, Darrell worked at Thiokol Chemical Corp in Brigham City, Utah, and Precision Cast Parts in Portland, Oregon.  He then moved to Idaho Falls and worked at Westinghouse/Aerojet Nuclear Corp before transferring to Kaiser Engineering in Pennsylvania. Loving the great outdoors of Idaho, Darrell returned to Idaho Falls where he worked at the National Engineering Lab, Westinghouse/Aerojet Nuclear Corp/TAN, and Engineering Inc. (EI) as a Quality Control Engineer and manager until his retirement in 2002.

He was President for both the Idaho Falls Ski Club and the 3D Water Association Board. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, skiing, and gardening. He was a real DIY-er and loved to repair things for himself and others. 

Darrell is survived by his loving wife, Terry Ann Patterson of Idaho Falls; daughter, Jenny Lea Karden of Portland, OR; daughter, Vicki Jean Turner of Kuna, ID; sister, Joyce Renee Durrett of Fruitland, ID; and five grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law, James Daniel Durrett. 

A Celebration of Life will be held from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Friday, September 25, 2020, at The Barn on 1st, 3934 1st Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83401. 

The family will be gathering to share memories, stories, to laugh, and to cry. Please bring a photo of Darrell to hang on the memory wall. 

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