Bob Patterson,
Shelby County Tennessee Trustee, 1997-98 NACCTFO President
and 2007 Martinelli Award Recipient died suddenly of a
massive heart attack on Friday, January 18, 2008. The
memorial service was held January 23rd in Memphis.
For more information, visit:
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=17245e73-a811-4a4e-a308-d9341c253e38
Expressions of sympathy may be mailed to:
The Family of Bob Patterson
2080 Black Oak
Memphis TN 38119
Read tributes from
friends and colleagues; if you would like to share a special
memory, please email
info@NACCTFO.org.
Bear with
me for just a moment while I reflect on the events from
yesterday..........
I attended
Bob Patterson's memorial service yesterday in Memphis.
While my heart was sad and hurting, it was also an honor to
stand among thousands of other people, there to pay their
final respects. I was sad because I have lost a good
friend. I was honored because I personally knew the man
that has made so many contributions to virtually every
organization of which he was a part. Many of those
contributions will never be known to the general public, but
with one visit to his office, you could literally see the
respect and concern Bob had for his fellow citizens and the
taxpayers of Shelby County.
If you could
have seen the news reports and news articles (some are
available on the internet), you would see that even the news
media had a respect for Bob that was very unusual. This
leads me to my next point. Over and over and over...the
only award that virtually each article and each news clip
mentioned, was the Martinelli Award that Bob received in
Richmond - given to him by an organization that he so deeply
believed in and whose members he appreciated and respected.
His employees, his friends, and his family kept repeating
the same thing...that award couldn't have come at a better
time! While being honored with the Martinelli Award and
celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary, 2007 was a very
good year for Bob.
I
have seen the Martinelli Award being presented several
times. But, I have never seen or heard, or could ever
imagine in my wildest dreams, the volume of (media) coverage
given to someone in the way that the news outlets in Shelby
County has honored Bob.
I say all of that to say "Thank you" to NACCTFO for honoring
Bob and for giving him the recognition that he deserves.
You have no idea what that meant to him, his family, his
employees, and even to the citizens of Shelby County.
The below
pictures are from the news conference and reception to honor
Bob, given by the Mayor of Shelby County in August 2007,
after receiving the Martinelli Award.
Thank you for
your time and have a nice day!!!!
Your friend,
Lance Beshires
Chester Co TN Trustee
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Shelby
County Trustee was a long-time Member of NACCTFO, having
served as President in 1997-98. He received the coveted
Victor E. Martinelli Award just this past July, symbolic of
the "Outstanding Finance Official in the Nation". He was
also an active Member of the National Association of
Counties, having served on the Board of Directors and as a
Member of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, helping
to shape Policy for County Government. Bob was President of
the National Conference of Republican County Officials in
1998-99, working to enhance knowledge of the political
process and was selected "Republican County Official of the
Year" in 2004. With his trademark hats and broad smile, Bob
was an effective leader, not only for the citizens of Shelby
County, but across the Nation. His enthusiasm for life and
his zeal for his "job" will be missed! I think we can all
agree, Bob Patterson - job well done, good and faithful
servant!"
Bill Melton
Dallas County Treasurer, 1977-2002
NACTFO President, 1988-89
NCRCO President, 1997-98
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