Perry Willard Patton

WWII veteran was Krogers manager for more than 36 years. Perry Willard Patton, 85, of Washington, died at 5:10 p.m. Saturday, January 8, 2005, in Tandem Health Care, Canonsburg, following a 31/2 illness. He was born December 4, 1919, in Indianapolis, Ind., a son of Charles Howard and Opal Weber Patton. For 36 years and three months, Mr. Patton worked at Krogers supermarket as a manager. He was a member of First Christian Church of Washington and Brownsville Masonic Lodge 70, F&AM. Mr. Patton was a private pilot, who owned/operated his own plane. He enjoyed skiing, boating, motorcycles, Indy car races and traveling with his wife, Ruth. Mr. Patton was a high school graduate and had served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. He received the Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal and European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with five bronze stars. On February 7, 1990, he married Ruth Marie Bates Johnson, who survives. Also surviving are a daughter, Sherrill and husband Henry Patton Hunt of Columbus, Ohio; three stepsons, Larry, David and Charles Johnson, all of Washington; a brother, William Patton of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; two sisters, Betty Miller of Fort Pierce, Fla., and Beverly McKinney of St. Louis, Mo.; three grandchildren, Brian VanVoorhis, Erica VanVoorhis Decker and Jennifer Brewster; and two great-grandchildren, Austin Brewster and Lily Decker. Friends will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday and 10 to 11 a.m., the time of service, Tuesday, January 11, in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 395 East Maiden Street, Washington, with the Rev. Paul Leone officiating. Interment will follow in Washington Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded graveside by Edwin Scott Linton American Legion Post 175.