Payton Oliver Patrick

Payton Oliver Patrick, 87, proud husband, father, grandfather, World War II veteran and long-standing furniture retailer in Cape, died Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007. With his family surrounding him, he went peacefully to be home with his Heavenly Father.

Known by most as "Pat," he was born May 26, 1920, in St. Louis and moved to the Cape area as a small child. Even the Great Depression didn't dampen his entrepreneurial spirit and at the age of 10 he was filling his wagon with metals and collectibles that he sold for a profit. He graduated from Central High School in 1939, moved to Inglewood, Calif., and married Mary Catherine "Katy" Griffaw, also a Cape native, in 1941. After a two-year stint in the U.S. Army as an infantryman, serving in the Pacific Theater in WWII, he and Katy moved back to Cape. In 1950 he opened Patrick Furniture Co. on Main Street and then purchased land and built the current Patrick Furniture Mart building on North Kingshighway in 1963. Today it remains in the Patrick family and is managed by his daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Tim Young, and their sons, Patrick and Mike Young. The furniture store was a big part of Pat's life, and he took much pride in being a Cape business owner.

Pat was an avid sportsman and truly enjoyed hunting and fishing. He took annual deer hunting trips to Colorado for 50 years with a small group of local friends. Even after he retired from actual hunting, Pat simply loved being in the mountains of Colorado and still went along for the experience of it all. He passed on his love of hunting to his son and grandsons. He was a member of the VFW, American Legion, Elks Lodge and St. Vincent de Paul Church.

Pat is survived by his wife, Mary Catherine "Katy" Patrick; four children: Carolyn (Tim) Young of Cape Girardeau, Jayne (Don) Sides of Colorado Springs, Colo., David (Kim) Patrick of Cape Girardeau and Lesa (Monty) Gilbert of Daphne, Ala.; three sisters, Dorothy Hayes of Cape Girardeau, Betty Olsen and Patsy Conway, both of California; 10 grandchildren: Patrick (Lynn) Young, Mike (Corrie) Young, Laura (Michael) Eck, Don (Amy) Sides Jr., Magin (Jeff) Chapman, Jeremy (Daisy) Patrick, Ben Patrick, Amber Gilbert, Aaron Gilbert and Maggie Gilbert; 19 great-grandchildren: Katie Young, Mallory Young, Emily Young, Natalie Young, Jake Young, Gracie Young, Lexi Young, Peyton Young, Cy Young, Mary Catherine Young, Tate Young, Michael (Jami) Troth, Haley Eck, Georgia Eck, John Britton Eck, Ansley Eck, Kelsey Sides, Carson Sides and McKenna Sides; and a great-great-grandchild, Jayce Troth.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elsie Townsend Patrick and Bascom Patrick; two sisters, Mary Evelyn Fulton and Virginia Smith; and three grandchildren, Josh Lemons, Keri Lemons and Katy Jo Patrick.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, with parish prayers at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Vincent de Paul Church, with the Rev. David Hulshof officiating.

Burial will follow at Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery with graveside military rites by VFW Post 3838.

Pallbearers will be Pat and Mike Young, Don Sides Jr., Mike Eck, Jeremy and Ben Patrick, Aaron Gilbert and Jeff Chapman.

The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Southeast Hospice and Birthright.

Patrick Furniture Mart will be closed the day of the funeral.

Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.