Raymond "Pat" Patterson Farlin MBA ’72 Jun 10, 1933 to Nov 5, 2014. A resident of Aptos, Pat was born in Mason City, Iowa, and spent his childhood in Los Angeles. He moved to San Jose during his high school years attending University High in Los Angeles, San Jose High, and Sequoia High in Redwood City. Pat received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from San Jose State in 1956 and an MBA in finance and economics in 1972 from Santa Clara University.
Pat served in the US Air Force from 1956 to 1960 as a combat ready navigator and instructor in Strategic Air Command with the rank of First Lieutenant. He was awarded the Air Force Longevity Service Award. From 1961 to 1969, he served in the California Air National Guard and retired with the rank of Major. This passion for aeronautics and air travel never left him. He worked 35 years in airport management. As Deputy Director of Aviation, for San Jose and Assistant Director of Aviation, Clark County, NV. He consulted in the private sector with Hill International and Parsons Brinkerhoff in a similar role. He thoroughly enjoyed his tenure as educator of Airport Management in the Aeronautics Department of San Jose State University from 1972-1980.
Pat liked to fish and loved spending time in the Sierra Mountain home. He learned to snow ski, with his wife at Badger Pass in Yosemite and was affectionately called "Zorro" because he always wore the same black ski cap which had a black tassel that could be seen flapping behind him as he zipped downhill. His love of skiing was something he made sure to impart on all of his children and grandchildren. Pat loved golf and the social aspect of seeing his Aptos neighbors and to walk the course together.
He and his wife, June, enjoyed golfing together for many years as well as traveling to Western Europe, Norway, the UK, and Hawaii multiple times. He always said that the trip of his life was to Australia and New Zealand involving staying on a live aboard ship and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. Pat loved Big Band music and boy could he dance. He had gone to cotillions as young as 13 with his older sister Charlene and her girlfriends didn’t mind that he was younger because he knew all the dances, even the jitterbug. If you spent more than a few minutes with Pat, you’d pick up that he had strong opinions about American political responsibilities, was a very patriotic supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project and having embraced the Internet Age, he would forward emails to ensure family and friends knew exactly where he stood on matters. Recently, he enjoyed renting Netflix black-and-white films and watching Big Bang Theory. Pat was a devoted husband, caring for his wife June until her death in January 2013. After losing his wife of 57 years, he spent time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchild. He is remembered as generous, ethical and having a terrific sense of humor. He was a man of somewhat simple tastes who drank his coffee black, liked Cheerios for breakfast and his only requirement from beer was that it was cold and wet.
Pat is survived by two sons, Mark Farlin ’79 and Kent Farlin, and a daughter Christine Farlin. He is also survived by six grandchildren: Sean, Jessica, and James Farlin, Holly and Mark Zinchefsky, and Hannah Becker.