Frederick Arthur Patzke

Frederick “Pat” Arthur Vern Patzke passed November 9, 2016, at the age of 94.  He was born August 18, 1922, to Frederick William Vern Patzke and Minnie Louise Schonberg in Milwaukee, Wis.  He was second generation German/Swede.  After graduating from South Division High School in December 1940, Fred joined the Navy in February 1941, where he was trained to work on and fly in “lighter than air” blimps patrolling the West Coast of the United States during World War II.  While stationed at Jacksonville Naval Station he met Jacqueline Yvonne Olliff.  Fred and Jacqueline were married August 9, 1944, in San Jose, CA, while he was stationed at Moffitt Field Air Base, CA, prior to being stationed at Kani Oi Bay Naval Station, Hawaii.  He was discharged from the Navy, Aviation Mate First Class, February 1946.  Fred and Jacqueline had three daughters, Sandra, Gayle (passed in 1984) and Pamela.  Fred worked as an auto mechanic prior to attending San Jose State College to study law.  He left college before completing his degree to support his “growing family” to work as an insurance adjuster, mainly handling auto claims, for 30 years.  Fred and Jacqueline (passed in 2007) divorced in 1959.  In 1962 Fred met Josephine Silva Palmer, a widow with four young children, while heading an office for Brown Bros Adjusters in Salinas, CA.  Fred and Josephine were married in 1964 in Reno, NV, where Fred had been transferred to head the office for Brown Bros Adjusters.  He became a member of the Masonic Order in 1951, eventually becoming a member of the Order of the Shrine.  After retiring in 1972 Fred and Josephine (passed in 2015) enjoyed RVing through Oregon, California and Arizona.  They enjoyed fishing and socializing with the other “snow birds” they met in their travels.  Fred passed peacefully at the Linda Valley Assisted Living with his daughter, Sandra, and step-son, Matthew Palmer in attendance in Loma Linda, CA.  Fred will be greatly missed by his daughters and sons-in-law Sandra & Harry Temple and Pamela & Steven Bobrow, nine grandchildren, four great- grandchildren, four step-children and families, his only brother, Allen, and sister-in-law, Frieda, and their families