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National Guard

Monday, January 23, 2012

VIDEO: Emotion, Celebration at Chris Patterson Memorial Service

Please watch this brief set of footage, which contains tributes and honors from Saturday for the 20-year-old North Aurora soldier. The service was held in Batavia.

This footage was taken on Saturday during the funeral service for Spc. Christopher Patterson at Immanuel Lutheran Church. He lost his life on Jan. 6 in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Hit the 'play' button (the triangle icon) in the center of the video box to begin the four-minute clip. For laptop/desktop viewers, the video box will be at the top of the page. For iPhone/mobile version users, the video box will be at the bottom of the page. Memorial contributions may be directed to: Valparaiso University attn: SPC Christopher A. Patterson Scholarship Fund, Valparaiso University, Office of Advancement 1100 Campus Drive South, Valparaiso, IN 46383 or: West Aurora High School Music Department attn: Christopher Patterson Memorial…

Maria

9:45 am on Saturday, January 28, 2012

Inspiring. We owe so much to the men and women in the military and their families for what they sacrifice. This young man, whom I've never met, has now touched my life with his story, selflessness and bravery.   more ›

More Photos from the Chris Patterson Celebration of Life

Here is a photo gallery of additional images from Saturday's funeral service.

The photo gallery on this page contains 21 images. To view all of them, place your cursor on the main photo. Click on one of the gray arrows that appear on the sides. Continue clicking to move through all the photos. These photos were taken on Saturday during the funeral service for Spc. Christopher A. Patterson of North Aurora. Patterson lost his life on Jan. 6 in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. The service took place at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Batavia. To read some quotes and see more images from the funeral service, click here. To read Patterson's full obituary, click here.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chris Patterson Memorial Service: Smiles, Sadness and Singing

The 20-year-old soldier's life was remembered by hundreds of people on Saturday in Batavia. Here are some quotes and pictures from the celebration of life held for him.

Editor's note: There are about 15 images in the photo gallery on this page. To view all of them, place your cursor on the main photo above. Click on one of the gray arrows that appear on the sides. Continue clicking to move through all the photos. The story was updated below with two additional sections. Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday at Immanuel Lutheran Church to remember a soldier, student and son that was gone too soon. Spc. Christopher Alexander Patterson died on Jan. 6 in Afghanistan when a roadside bomb detonated underneath a vehicle he was in. Three other soldiers also died in the attack. Patterson, of North Aurora, was honored in multiple ways during a funeral service in the church’s Family Life Center in Batavia. He …

Ray Schneider

4:57 pm on Sunday, January 22, 2012

My deepest sympathies go out to Mr. and Mrs. Patterson and their family for the loss of Chris. I had the honor of helping with the PGR as an escort of Spc. Patterson and his family on Friday. I was able to see some of the many lives he has touched. He will truly be missed. I thanked him in a pray for the sacrifice he has made for our Country and our freedom. Sincerely, Ray   more ›

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Christopher Patterson Obituary

Here is more information about Spc. Patterson and memorial contributions.

SPC Christopher Alexander Patterson, age 20, passed away Friday, Jan. 6, 2012 while proudly serving his country in the Kandahar Province in Afghanistan. He was born April 17, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA, the son of Robert and Mary (nee Schneider) Patterson. A 2009 graduate of West Aurora High School, Christopher was continuing his studies in music education at Valparaiso University in Indiana. He was a member of the professional music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and toured with the school’s premiere vocal ensemble, the Chorale. Christopher also composed and arranged music with a cappella group VuVox and for the West High STUDy Hall Choir. Christopher was co-captain and first board for the West High Chess Team and was honored to be under…

Ray Schneider

5:03 pm on Sunday, January 22, 2012

My deepest sympathies go out to Mr. and Mrs. Patterson and their family for the loss of Chris. I had the honor of helping with the PGR as an escort of Spc. Patterson and his family on Friday. I was able to see some of the many lives he has touched. He will truly be missed. I thanked him in a pray for the sacrifice he has made for our Country and our freedom. Sincerely, Ray   more ›

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Batavia Church to Hold Memorial Service For Fallen Soldier

Services for Spc. Chris Patterson will be held next week at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Batavia. Here are the times and dates.

Those who want to pay their respects to a local soldier that died in Afghanistan can do so in Batavia next week. Visitation for Spc. Christopher Patterson will be held on Fri., Jan. 20 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 950 Hart Road, Batavia. The visitation will be held in the church’s sanctuary from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Patterson’s parents, Robert and Mary, brother Carl and more family members will be there to receive guests on Friday. Patterson’s memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Sat., Jan. 21, in the church’s Family Life Center. Patterson, 20, died on Jan. 6 along with three other soldiers in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. An improvised explosive device, or roadside bomb, went off under their vehicle, according to the Indiana National…

Monday, January 9, 2012

UPDATE: Residents Mourn North Aurora Soldier's Death

One of Chris Patterson's former grade-school teachers described him as a great, talented student. He died recently after a roadside bomb explosion.

Kim Fennewald had just talked to Chris Patterson on Facebook a few days ago. She asked him how the weather was and how he was doing. The first word that came out of her mouth when she recognized his name in the Sunday newspaper was "no." "I saw the story in the Beacon(-News) this morning and pretty much fell apart," she told Batavia Patch on Sunday. Spc. Christopher Patterson, a 12B Combat Engineer with the Indiana National Guard, was killed last week along with three other soldiers by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. He was 20 years old. Fennewald was Patterson's fourth-grade teacher in North Aurora. She and many others in the Fox Valley this weekend grappled with the news of his death.  "I extend my deepest condolences to the families of …

Karen

6:36 pm on Monday, January 9, 2012

I didn't know Chris, but have heard wonderful things about him. My prayers go out to the family at this painful time. What a huge loss for everyone that knew him. My heart hurts today.   more ›

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