LEWISBURG --- Roger Craig Patton, 63, of Lewisburg died October 1st at home after a lengthy battle with bladder cancer. Mr. Patton was born April 13, 1946, in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. A son of the late Dr. John Barratt Patton and Jean Glenn Patton, Roger was married on August 6, 1977, in Alexandria, Virginia, to the former Alaine Mason, who survives. Upon graduation from University High School in Bloomington, Indiana, in 1963, Roger enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served until 1966. Following graduation from Indiana University in 1972, he attended Officer Candidates School and was commissioned a second lieutenant in January of 1973. Upon completion of The Basic School and the Supply Officers' Course at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, he was assigned as Supply Officer for the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan, from May, 1974, until April, 1975. Promoted to first lieutenant in May of 1975, he reported to Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. where he served as Supply Officer, Assistant Logistics Officer, and as a White House Military Aide. He was promoted to captain in December of 1977. In August of 1978, Captain Patton was transferred to The Basic School, Quantico, where he served as Fiscal Officer and, later, Supply Officer. He attended the Amphibious Warfare School from August of 1979, until May of 1980, then returned to Okinawa where he was assigned as Supply Officer for the 9th Marine Regiment. Returning to the U.S. in June of 1981. Captain Patton reported to the Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Georgia, where he served as Special Projects Officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and, later, as Head, Planning and Management Branch. He was promoted to major in June of 1983. From June of 1984, to June of 1987, Major Patton was the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Recruiting Station, St. Louis, responsible for all Marine recruiting activities in a 56,000 square mile area of Illinois and Missouri. He was in charge of 100 Marines in 44 offices and responsible for an annual recruiting mission of approximately 1200 individuals. In June of 1987, Major Patton was transferred to the Defense Construction Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio, where he served as Chief, Weapons System Support and Provisioning Management Branch. He directed the activities of seventeen civilian supply systems analysts and was responsible of maximizing supply availability for the roughly 156,000 Defense Logistics Agency managed parts and components which DCSC purchased for 885 Department of Defense weapons systems. Selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel in February of 1989, Patton decided to retire rather than continue moving the family every few years for the foreseeable future. His decorations include the Department of Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal (2 awards), the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation (4 awards), the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2 awards), the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon. Roger and his family moved to Madison, Indiana, in August of 1989. There, over the next thirteen years they purchased and operated four different businesses. They visited their son, Schuyler, many times while he was a student at Bucknell and every time they came to Lewisburg, they liked it better. In July, 2002, they retired and moved to Lewisburg. Patton was very active with youth sports. He coached youth basketball for 5 years, Little League Baseball for 3 years, junior high basketball 2 years, and Varsity Tennis for 9 years. He was Vice President, then President of the Madison, Indiana, Country Club Board of Directors. He enjoyed many sports, especially tennis and golf. He was an active participant in his children's' education system and in local politics. While in Lewisburg, he and his wife did respite care for foster children for several years. He will be most remembered for his intellect, his sense of humor, his avid reading on a wide range of subjects, and for being the consummate host and friend. Roger is survived by his wife of 32 years, Alaine Mason Patton; his son, Schuyler Lee Robinson Patton; his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Mills Patton; his granddaughter, Fiona Kathryn Patton, all of Cherry Hill, New Jersey; his daughter, Ashley Patton Emison, and son-in-law, David Weston Emison, of Baltimore, Maryland; his mother, Jean Glenn Patton, and two brothers, Barratt Marsh Patton and Ian Alastair Patton, all of Bloomington, Indiana. He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. John Barratt Patton, and another brother, Captain Frank Jamison Campbell Patton. Family and friends are welcome to gather from 4:00-6:00 PM on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at The Dale E. Ranck Funeral Service, Inc. 125 North Front Street, Milton, PA, for a time of visitation. Roger's burial with full military honors will be held at 1:30 PM on Friday, October 9, 2009, at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, just off exit 85B of Interstate 81 North in Annville, PA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Marine Corps -Law Enforcement Foundation, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1007, New York, NY 10020.
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