Patterson died April 6 in Santa Clarita of natural causes at the age of 81.
Services for Richard Patterson will be held Tuesday, April 21, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 24443 McBean Parkway in Valencia.
A public viewing is set for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. A graveside service will follow at 3 p.m. at Eternal Valley Memorial Park in Newhall.
Born Dec. 5, 1944, in Prescott, Arizona, Patterson was raised in Prescott and Cottonwood alongside his six siblings. He later graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in economics and earned his law degree from the University of La Verne College of Law in 1976.
That same year, Patterson passed the bar exam on his first attempt and soon after began practicing law in the Santa Clarita Valley. In 1977, he partnered with James Neavitt to open a firm in Newhall, focusing on personal injury law while Neavitt specialized in family law. Patterson went on to become one of the longest-practicing attorneys in the valley, continuing his work until recently.
Beyond his legal career, Patterson played a significant role in shaping the Santa Clarita community. He served as president of the Santa Clarita Valley Committee on Aging, supported the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley as a board member and founding foundation member, and helped establish the SCV Facilities Foundation, which contributed to school construction projects across the Hart District.
He was also recognized for his contributions, receiving the Dan Hon Memorial Award in 2007 and being named among The Signal’s “51 Most Influential in the Santa Clarita Valley” for eight consecutive years. He was twice nominated for Santa Clarita Valley Man of the Year.
Friends and colleagues remembered Patterson as both a respected professional and a generous community member. “Rick helped build the city in many ways,” said longtime friend and former law partner James Neavitt.
Patterson is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ann, eight children and 32 grandchildren.
The Santa Clarita City Council is expected to adjourn its April 14 meeting in his memory.