Services announced for Dr. Bishop M. Patterson
Kesha Williams
January 26, 2009
Elizabeth City State University is saddened to announce the death and funeral arrangements of Dr. Bishop M. Patterson, a retired professor emeritus. Dr. Patterson’s wake will be held at 7 tonight in the Chapel of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church, 507 S. Martin Street. The church will hold his funeral at 1 p.m. on January 27. Please see The Daily Advance for a full view of the obituary (January 25 edition). In 2007, ECSU renamed a building in his honor-Dixon-Patterson Hall. The building had formerly been named Dixon Hall in honor of a former university trustee, McDonald Dixon. In addition to renaming the building, the university unveiled a portrait of Patterson and his wife, Kathryn Isabelle Gordon Patterson. Dr. Patterson became Department Chairman and Professor of Industrial Arts at Elizabeth City State College in 1965 and served as chairman until 1992. During his tenure at ECSU, Dr. Patterson developed the proposal and plans to build the current building that houses industrial technology classes. He also chaired the task force for the feasibility of the university’s weekend college program. From 1986 to 1998, Dr. Patterson served as the first director of the ECSU Weekend College. Dr. Patterson also served as President and Vice President of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Chairman of the CIAA Scholarship Committee, and chairman of the ECSU Athletics Committee for 22 years. The ECSU Foundation manages the Bishop and Kathryn Patterson Endowed Scholarship Fund in memory of the couple. Regarding the recent death of Dr. Bishop M. Patterson, ECSU Chancellor Willie J. Gilchrist released the following statement: "Elizabeth City has suffered a great loss. Dr. Patterson gave his time and his expertise to many boards and committees in Elizabeth City and the region. Not only did Dr. Patterson make his mark on the city, but he also had a profound impact on Elizabeth City State University as an educator, mentor, friend and philanthropist." "When I became the Chancellor in 2007, Dr. Patterson was the first person to make a significant contribution, which led to an endowment that carries his name. His six-figure commitment was matched with a $250,000 gift from the C.D. Spangler Foundation and a $500,000 gift from the State of North Carolina’s Distinguished Professors Endowment Trust Fund, which resulted in a gift of more than $1 million. This gift will fund the Kathryn G. and Bishop M. Patterson Endowed Professorship in Industrial Engineering Education. I am proud that his legacy will live on for future generations of students." "When I was a student, I had the utmost respect for Dr. Patterson. Since I returned to ECSU that respect blossomed into a valued friendship, and I will miss our talks during our Saturday morning breakfasts. I am proud to have known this great man who meant so much to so many." Dr. Patterson’s administrative positions are listed below: 1992-1998 Part-time Director of Weekend College 1986-1992 First Director of weekend College (Retired as Faculty member 1992) 1969-1984 Chairman of the Department of Industrial Arts and Technology Summer 1970 Director of ECSU Desegregation Institute 1967-1969 USAID Appointment: Administrator-Guyana Industrial Training Center Georgetown, Guyana, South America. Joint Project sponsored by the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 1965-1967 Chairman of the Department of Industrial Arts Elizabeth City State College Adjunct Academic Position: 1982-1984 Assistant Professor- Department of Occupational Education, School of Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina