At 6:45 A.M. on September 19, 2019, Alvin Hendrix Grant Patterson received an offer for an appointment he couldn’t refuse. His new assignment takes him to a place where he’ll be “kicking up gold dust”, fishing in a crystal stream, and painting his mansion door red whenever he chooses. It comes with the bonus of face to face conversations with God, unspeakable joy, a reunion with family and friends, and an endless buffet of delicious food.
Alvin was born in Neosho, Missouri on August 13, 1938 to Stonie Alvin Patterson and Mary Kathrine Parker Patterson. He is the eldest of nine children.
While on Earth he lived an honorable life of service to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was called into the ministry at the young age of 16 while washing dishes in a small café in Neosho, Mo. He began his ministry preaching on KBTN radio station in Neosho when he was 17.
Shortly after turning eighteen he entered into the US Army. Over his six years of service he was stationed around the midwest and in Germany. His last assignment was with the 2nd Missile Battalion, 80th Field Artillery Regiment in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He received an Expert Marksmanship Badge and a Good Conduct Metal for his service. He was a member of the American Legion Post 3 in Columbus, Ks for several years.
Using 2 Chronicles 7:14 as his key verse, he continued his ministry. At the age of twenty-eight he received his Certificate of Fellowship and Ministerial Credentials from The Pentecostal Church of God and began pastoring his first church in Kansas City, Ks. Throughout his sixty-five years of ministry, he held many pastoral positions in Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Indiana.
Alvin married Karen Kay Kellogg on July 18, 1980. He then made his home in Columbus, Ks with five of their seven children.
In 1981 he established and opened The Full Gospel Lighthouse in Columbus. In 2000 he created AHGP Ministries, later renamed Full Gospel Ministers Association, of which he was still a member.
He used to say, “With a name like Alvin Hendrix Grant Patterson, the only thing you could make out of the initials is ‘A Holy Ghost Preacher’”; and that he most certainly was. Anyone who had the privilege of hearing him preach could feel the anointment and power of God move within him.
Throughout Alvin’s life he took correspondence classes, receiving many certificates of ministerial study from Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Berean School of the Bible, and School of Missions through The Pentecostal Church of God; the most recent being from Rhema Correspondence Bible School in July 2001.
He counseled many people, spoke at numerous funerals, and presided over countless weddings; three of which were his own children, two sisters, and that of his mother. The last wedding he performed was that of his youngest granddaughter in April of 2015. He preached his last sermon at New Hope Assembly in the spring of this year.
Alvin was a man of many talents. He worked as a custodian at West Central School Joplin, Mo. and South East High School in Cherokee, Ks. He was a printer for Messenger Publishing Company in Joplin, Mo., owned and operated his own construction company, lawn care service, and printing service all in Columbus, worked as a maintenance technician for National Mills in Webb City, Mo, Pittsburg, Ks, and Yates Center, Ks and most recently operated Alvin’s Lock & Key and Alvin’s Sewing Machine Repair. He also held a city council position in Columbus, Ks for the last five years.
He received a certificate of study in Business Management from LaSalla Extension University in 1972, a diploma from Gressin School of Sewing Machine & Vacuum Cleaner Repair in 1990, a Medication Aide Certificate from Labette Community College in 1991, a diploma for PC Repair from Thomson Education in 2005, and had most recently begun his bachelor studies through The Sure Foundation Theological Institute.
He was the kindest and most peaceful man anyone could meet, and we will forever be changed by the totality of him. His unquestionable love for his family, his honesty and decency, his selflessness, his complete disinterest in ego and materialism, his life-long love of learning, and his acceptance of everyone and refusal to judge or dismiss anyone can inspire us all.
On his arrival in heaven he was reunited with his parents, his daughter Shirley Lynn, his sisters Kathrine and Laura, and his daughter-in-Law, Tammie Patterson; and met his wife’s mother, Ada Kustenborder Craig.
Alvin has received his eternal reward, and we honor his memory by striving to be worthy of the same through following his example. We will forever be grateful for his presence in our lives and his spirit will live on in those he cherished on earth; his wife Karen, his sons Alvin Stonie Patterson, Joe Kellogg, and Tim Kellogg; and his daughters Julie Kellogg, Vivian Kelley, and Kathy Dukes; seventeen grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren; brothers Jerry Patterson, Eddie Patterson, and George Patterson; sisters Argie Mathes, Linda Vanderhoofven, and June Woodcock, and nieces, nephews, family, and friends too numerous to list but not forgotten.
Visitation with family will be on Thursday, September 26, 2019 from 6:00 – 8:00 P.M. and services will be held on Friday, September 27, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. at Derfelt Funeral Home, 132 East Pine, Columbus, Ks. Graveside services will be held in Oak Hill Cemetery in Galena, Ks immediately following.
In lieu of flowers, feel free to donate to the Alvin H.G. Patterson Memorial Scholarship fund through Derfelt Funeral Home or by sending c/o American Bank, 810 East Maple, Columbus, Ks 66725. Online condolences can be made at www.derfeltfuneralhomes.com.
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