Bill Patterson was a popular, civic-minded man who was born in Knowlton and lived all his life here. Bill, who has died at the age of 77, was related to the Pettes family, who built the municipal library, and he was a past chairman of the library board.

William Patterson was born in February of 1943 and went to Knowlton High School, where he was a star basketball player. He went to work at the Clairol factory, now KDC one, where he was in the purchasing department for 20 years.

Afterwards, Bill managed the public housing in the town, on Crandall and Victoria. As well as volunteering at the library, he was a long-time member of the Lion’s Club. For a while he was a part owner of the Marina with Gerry Moar.

In retirement, he became an avid golfer and, according to his son, Lee Patterson: “He played every day he could.”

Bill Patterson was an outgoing man and had what seemed to be an endless supply of jokes. “He had a great talent for remembering jokes. My mother could send him to the grocery store, and he might forget what he was supposed to pick up, but he never forgot a joke.”

Several years ago, Bill donated a kidney to his brother John. Bill is survived by his wife, Nicole Bergeron and his son Lee Patterson, a town councillor. His brother pre-deceased him.