2008 Woodie Awards
Mourners recount Patterson's promise, faith
University remembers lost student with memorial and planting of a tree
Katherine McGehee
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
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Speakers at the memorial included John Delaney, vice chancellor of student development, Bill Staley, president of SGA and family and friends of the deceased.
The service began with opening remarks from Wes Yoder, a friend of the deceased. Yoder said he was with the family when they went to Patterson's apartment on campus to clean out his room.
During that time, Yoder said the family gathered in the living room of the apartment and decided there was another way of looking at this tragedy.
"Despite what troubled his soul, he fell into the arms of Jesus," Yoder said. "Jesus has conquered every kind of death, the kind of death Cameron died, the kind of death you will die," Yoder said.
After Yoder spoke, Delaney said even though he didn't meet Patterson in life, he has learned about him from the memories of his family and friends.
"I know I would have liked Cameron," Delaney said. "I would have liked to see what Cameron would have done in four years [at UTC]."
Delaney was followed by Robert Benson, a writer and friend of the Patterson family.
"We don't know how to make this ever make sense," Benson said. "We cannot imagine what [Patterson] was feeling."
"We cannot quite grasp this," Benson said. "We don't know if we will get over this."
"Time will pass, life will go on, the shock will wear off," Benson said. "But let no one pretend that life will ever be the same."
"We must remember his promise, but also his pain," Benson said. "We must remember his hope, but also his hopelessness."
Benson's remarks were followed by a presentation of photographs and video set to music.
After this presentation, Eric Vanzee, Patterson's youth minister, spoke of some of his memories of Patterson, including a story about his graduation party and a camping trip.
"Cameron loved life, and he did it to the max," Vanzee said.
"He was smart and determined," he said.
Vanzee said in junior high, Patterson, like many people his age, began to analyze his faith and make it his own. Vanzee was followed by Patterson's parents, Tina Patterson and Jimmy Patterson.
Tina Patterson read an essay Cameron Patterson wrote to demonstrate his introspection and sense of humor.
