Edward J. Patterson, Jr, age 84, passed away Sunday, April 19, 2020 after a lengthy illness at Jennie Sealy Hospital. He was born May 16, 1935 on Galveston Island. Big Ed was a loving husband, dad and grandfather, an accomplished attorney and mediator and a lifelong Texas Longhorn fan. Ed is predeceased by his parents, Cora Dibrell and Edward “Pat” Patterson. He is survived by his spouse of 59 years Connie Russo Patterson, his son Eddie and his wife Dianna of Houston and his son Chris and his wife Sonya of the Woodlands and six grandchildren, Ted, John, Blake, Kate, Carter and Sloan Patterson. Ed is also survived by his brother, Stephen of Delray Beach, Florida; his brother Tom and his wife Alpha of Corpus Christi; and his sister Priscilla and her husband Joe of Staten Island, New York and many loving nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
A graduate of WB Ray High School in Corpus Christi, Ed attended Delmar College, then the University of Texas in Austin. He graduated from the University of Texas Law School in 1957, with Honors.
Ed had a 40 plus year career as a maritime lawyer and mediator with the firm Royston & Rayzor, and was managing partner of their Galveston office. He was admired by practitioners on both sides of the bar for his gentlemanly approach to the practice and his ability to lead parties to fair resolutions of their disputes. He was a Proctor Member of the Maritime Law Association, Past-President of the Board of the Galveston Cotton Exchange, a former Director of the Pearce Education Foundation and a past member of the Board of the Seafarer’s Center of Galveston.
Ed had a great sense of humor, enjoyed Mel Brooks movies, the Simpsons and Lewis Grizzard books. He loved fast cars and Willie Nelson music. In retirement, he and Connie enjoyed travel abroad as a couple and with groups from Trinity Church. He spent many of the past 15 years at his home in Park City, Utah where he and Connie loved the mountains and being with their beloved scotty, Daisy.
A family funeral and burial will be held at the Galveston Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions in Ed’s memory to the Galveston Island Humane Society or to Trinity Church.
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