Sammy Lee Patterson was born August 12, 1933, at home in Clarendon, Texas. He was named after two of his uncles. He enjoyed spending the night with his Granny and would recall how she would get on her knees every night and pray for the family. He loved family reunions and had a close relationship with his aunts and cousins. He learned to play dominoes and 42 at an early age.

When Sam started school, there was no kindergarten and only eleven grades. When the twelfth grade was added, everyone had to skip a year so there would be a class in every grade, so Sam skipped the third grade. In sixth grade, he won Student of the Year, and in junior high he received another honor award voted on by the community. In high school, he was President of the Cue and Curtain Club, Speech and Drama, and he played alto saxophone in the band. He marched in the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Shamrock and in the Amarillo Tri State Fair Parade. He graduated high school at sixteen years old.

Sam went to church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening with his parents. At age eleven, he made a public profession of faith at a revival meeting, but he had already asked Jesus to be his Savior before that day.

Sam grew up without a television and listened to shows on the radio including Lone Ranger, Grand Ole Opry, Hit Parade, and Fibber McGee and Molly. In the evenings, he would go down to see the train come through town around eight pm and enjoy an ice cream cone for five cents at the drug store with curb service.

After high school, Sam spent one year and a summer at Clarendon Junior College. He had two years of credit and a high enough grade point average to earn a scholarship to Hardin Simmons University, where he transferred. He planned to teach social studies, history, and drama. During his first year, he was involved in the BSU, revival meetings, weekend youth revivals, the Hardin Simmons Choir, piano lessons, and leading music. He began to feel the call to ministry. After his junior year, he went home that summer and surrendered to the ministry in his home church. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in history with a minor in speech, and received his teaching certificate.

Sam was on tour with the State BSU Choir that summer when he received his draft notification to the Army. He spent a week at Fort Sill and then flew to Fort Lewis, Washington, for six weeks of basic training. He served as Assistant Chaplain at Fort Lewis, where he became very sick, was diagnosed with diabetes, and spent three months in the hospital. As a result, he was discharged from the Army, returned home, and continued with his original plan to attend seminary in Fort Worth. He graduated in three years with a Bachelor of Church Music and a Master of Religious Education.

While at seminary, Sam met Lou in January 1956. He had just left his first church in Chillicothe, Texas, which he loved dearly, to take the Music and Youth Director position at First Baptist Church of Atoka, Oklahoma. He proposed to Lou on February 22, 1957, and they were married on June 28, 1957. The next year, Mark was born, followed by Patti four years later.

Sam invested his life in ministry, serving God and others. He served as Minister of Music in Mangum, Oklahoma; Crestview Baptist Church in Midland, Texas; Riverside Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas; Pampa, Texas; and Central Baptist Church in Carthage, Texas. Sam sang with the Baptist Singing Men of Texas and also served for many years as a sponsor for the Texas Baptist All State Youth Choir and Band.

After moving to Houston in 1993 to enjoy their grandchildren, Sam served at First Baptist Cypress and worked for Klein Funeral Home. Retiring was a tough decision. Sam was deeply grateful for how God had blessed and cared for him, and he did not want to stop serving Him. Though no longer on staff, he and Lou joined Westway Baptist Church in October 2018, officially retiring at eighty five while continuing to love and serve God and others.

Sam joined the YMCA and went three days a week. He quickly made close friends, arriving early to work out and then gathering afterward for coffee and conversation. His ministry continued as he loved and prayed daily for these friends. Sam and Lou spent hours at the breakfast table each morning in Scripture and prayer for their family, church, neighbors, and friends both old and new.

Sam loved college football, the Houston Astros, his YMCA family, his church family, and his first family. Sam was interested in everything his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were doing. He cherished every opportunity to spend time together. He loved playing Hearts and Spades with his grandchildren and Uno with the greats. He never missed a chance to attend birthday parties and family dinners and especially loved when the greats stopped by the house for a visit. He took great joy in seeing his great grandchildren play instruments, sing in choirs, and share in his lifelong love of music.

After Lou went to be with Jesus in March, Sam began attending the YMCA Monday through Friday and church on Sundays. Mark would pick him up around nine, and one of his friends would bring him home around noon. He stayed busy while learning new tasks such as using the microwave and running the dishwasher, washer, and dryer. Sam's neighbor and friend, Albert, understood how important Scripture and prayer were to Sam. Knowing Sam could no longer see well enough to read, Albert began visiting on Tuesdays to read Scripture and pray with him. Sam's church family truly became a second family, and he loved them dearly. Many willingly helped by bringing him to church or driving him home. Sam knew he was living a blessed life and testified to it every chance he had.

Sam broke his leg in early October, but he triumphed over that challenge as well. Through hard work and outpatient therapy, he was able to resume living independently and caring for himself. On Sunday, December 14, Sam went to be with Jesus. We know he has joined Lou in praising our Lord, and they will not be separated this year as they celebrate the birth of our Savior together this season.

Sam was preceded in death by the love of his life and wife, Elizabeth Lou Benefield Patterson; his parents, U Z and Emma Marie Cauthen Patterson; his grandparents, Festus and Laura Holland Patterson and Myra Melinda Cannon and Josiah Francis Cauthen; and many beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He is survived by his children, Mark and Judy Patterson and Patti Patterson; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Jared and Tabitha Patterson, Jasper, Georgie, and Henrietta; Dustin and Audrey Patterson, Mary and Max; Blake and Christin Patterson, Emma, Grace, and Lainey; Connor Patterson; Grant and Bailey Patterson and Palmer; extended family members Christie Colvin and Michelle and Kayne Dicola; and a multitude of friends.