Donald Wayne Patterson

Donald Wayne Patterson, 59 of Cave City, Arkansas passed away Sunday, February 6, 2022 at his home in Cave City. He was born November 29, 1962 at Gray’s Hospital in Batesville, Arkansas to the late Harlan Houston Patterson and Ora Lue (Blevins) Patterson Hunter.   He was raised in Sandtown, Arkansas with his brothers and sisters.

At the age of 14, Donald stopped attending school in order to work for Coca-Cola and help support his family, and later took a job as a cafeteria worker at White River Medical Center with the same intentions. In his twenties, Donald moved to Tennessee, in which time he began to work for Mapco Petroleum with his siblings. The knowledge and experience gained during this time in his life allowed Donald to fill a significant role as both a construction supervisor and area manager for Flash Market Incorporated, a company formed through the combined efforts of the Patterson siblings and their business partners. Donald worked within Flash Market for over 20 years, leaving his job in order to return to the Cave City area to raise his family on a farm he had purchased several years prior, and within the walls of a home he built himself. Donald’s values of hard work and honesty were easy for all around him to see, and are exemplified by the works he left behind and the children he raised in his likeness. He believed his greatest accomplishment in his life was raising smart and respectable kids that did not have to face the same hardships that he and his siblings faced growing up in Sandtown. Donald was never afraid to speak his mind to any and all around him, and faced every challenge with unimaginable grit and determination. His life serves as a testament to the fact that one can achieve their goals and make a better life for themselves and others through self-sacrifice and perseverance. Those who came to know him could not help but love, admire, and be inspired by his example. Through all his struggles in life, Donald remained faithful to the Lord and stuck to his life plans and goals through many victories and failures.

He was preceded in death by his parents and step-father Conway Hunter; two sisters Francis Jones and Linda LaFitte; and two brothers, Jimmy Houston Patterson and Harold Dean Patterson.

Survivors include his sons, Steven Joe Patterson and Christopher Houston Patterson (Megan) of Cave City; his daughters, Delena Dianne Sawyer of Cave City and Eden Michelle Patterson of Strawberry, Arkansas; his step-son, Zachary Drake of Hoxie, Arkansas; two sisters, Emma Patterson Ballard (Kenny) of Batesville, Arkansas and Patsy Patterson Garner (Alan) of White Hall, Arkansas; two brothers, Oscar Patterson (Carol) of Marion, Arkansas and Johnny Patterson (Laura) of Sherwood, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Rainey Sawyer, Shelby Sawyer, Charley Sawyer and Willow Patterson all of Cave City; and many other relatives and good friends.

Visitation of family and friends will begin at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 9, 2022 at Qualls Funeral Home Chapel in Cave City Arkansas. A funeral service will follow at 3:00 p.m. with Bro. Roger Randolph officiating.  Burial will follow in the Barnett Cemetery in Sandtown, Arkansas.

Pallbearers will be Stephen Vacante Sr., Mike Niswonger, Charles Campbell, Jamie Patterson, Ricky Hunter and Seth LaFitte.

Honorary pallbearers are Steven Patterson, Stan Jones, Gary Hawkins, Jr. Hawkins and Danny Sandy.

Memorials may be made to John 3:16 Ministries, 75 Holmes Road, Charlotte, AR  72522 or Barnett Cemetery c/o Gary Hawkins, 105 North Charlotte, Sulphur Rock, AR 72579