PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — People were lined up out the door for the first service for longtime Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.
Patterson died over the weekend at age 80 of pancreatic cancer. His daughter Mary Margaret Patterson Warner and his son Dr. Dayne Rogers said their father was larger than life and will leave a hole that will never be filled.
Patterson was bold, outspoken, and gave many cringe moments to his family. And while he was always out in public both said they were never short changed with his valuable time.
Patterson lies in state inside the Oakland County Executive building with his name on it. An Oakland County Color Guard is with the flag-draped casket. His daughter says Patterson deserves it because he never got a retirement party and this is the proper farewell.
They also talked about how chemo therapy was painful for Patterson and for them after he was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer earlier this year. But they say Patterson wanted to fight to live and to finish his term, which would have been the end of next year.
The rest of his services are:
The public visitation is Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday, Aug. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Woodside Bible Church — Troy Campus on Rochester Road in Troy.
The funeral, which is open to the public, is also Thursday, Aug. 15 at Woodside Bible Church — Troy Campus, beginning at 1:30 p.m. The burial, which features full military honors, will be private.
