Lyle D. Patterson

A memorial service for Lyle D. Patterson will be held on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Holdrege Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska, with Pastor Sarah Fisher officiating. Interment will be held at a later date at the Prairie Home Cemetery, Holdrege.

Lyle Dean Patterson, 74, of Holdrege, passed away on March 8, 2026. Lyle was born in Holdrege, on July 19, 1951, the youngest of 2 children born to Dean and Eleanor Dunn Patterson. Lyle grew up on the farm his great-grandparents had homesteaded. He attended Mascot school through 5th grade, then transferred to Holdrege, where he graduated from Holdrege High School in 1969.

Lyle was very active in 4-H. He was also active in FFA in high school. He showed cattle and entered other projects at the Nebraska State Fair. Lyle built a low-boy trailer in FFA and later remodeled it to become one of the hay racks used at Grandpa's Punkinberry Patch. Lyle met his future wife and the love of his life, Dotty Jo Patterson, on a 4-H Citizen Short Course trip to Washington, D.C in 1967. They were married on August 15, 1971. They welcomed 2 sons, Saun in 1973 and Shane in 1976. Lyle farmed with his father, Dean, on the family farm. He also became a pilot and enjoyed flying. Lyle was an Ag pilot and liked to fly 10 feet off the ground, going 120 miles an hour! Lyle did spraying until a heart attack in 2000 grounded him. He then drove over the road truck for several years until he started delivering trailers across the United States and Canada.

In 2013, Lyle and his family started Grandpa's Punkinberry Patch. He made the train and many other attractions. He loved driving the train, and it soon became the "YAY Mobile". Lyle loved spending time with his family and attending his grandchildren's sporting, music, and 4-H events. He also loved to go fishing and camping. His favorite sayings were, "I love it when a plan comes together" and "They say if you can hear thunder, you can be struck by lightning. Good thing I'm hard of hearing!"

Lyle was preceded in death by his parents, Dean and Eleanor; his sister, Darlene Schaap; his in-laws, Earl and Dorothy Beeler; and his sister-in-law, Peggy Ouellette.

He leaves to celebrate his life his wife, Dotty Jo of Holdrege; his sons: Saun of Holdrege and Shane and his wife, Liz of Bertrand; 8 grandchildren: Morgan Patterson of Holdrege; Taylor Patterson and his wife, Treianne of Kearney; Taryn Abramson and her husband, Cale of Loomis; Meghan Patterson and her fiancé, Kent Mayfield of Seward; Amanda Patterson of Holdrege; Karley Patterson of Holdrege; and Landon and Caleb Patterson of Bertrand; 5 great-grandchildren: Malachi Patterson and his soon to be born baby brother; RiverLynn and Raycn Patterson; Archer and Hudson Abramson; two brothers-in-law: Ron Schaap of Omaha; and Rex Beeler of Kearney; 4 nephews, two cousins, and many friends.

Memorial book signing will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Lyle's honor, and kindly suggested to the family for a later designation.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.