Johnnie Henry Patent

OKEECHOBE, Fla. — Johnnie Henry Patent, 88, Okeechobee, Fla., died Nov. 28, 2021. He was born Oct. 13, 1933, the 13th child of German immigrants, the late Johnna Patent and Marie Hickey Patent.

Johnnie was born and raised on the family farm in Randolph. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1952 and served three years, with active duty in Korea from April 1953 to September 1954. He met Geraldine “Jerry” Foley, his wife of 62 years, while stationed near Washington D.C. They were married July 2, 1955.

Johnnie, Jerry and their daughter, Sharon, relocated to Miami, Fla., in 1957, where Johnnie worked in the building industry, rising to general contractor and overseeing the construction of roughly 150 area homes. In 1961, he went into the insurance business and attended night school for five years to earn his GED. Johnnie opened Patent Insurance Agency in 1967, which he owned and operated until 1986 when he sold the business and moved to Okeechobee, Fla., where he continued to sell insurance.

While in Miami, Johnnie was very active in the Kiwanis Club and started the first High School Key Club in Dade County. In Okeechobee, he served three separate terms as Commander of the Buckhead Ridge VFW Post 9528, for a total of six years and was a lifetime member. Johnnie oversaw construction of the post building and was very active in sponsoring the local Cub Scout troop and other charitable organizations. He was also a member of Moose Lodge 2417, where he served as Administrator and Treasurer. Johnnie was also a member of the American Legion Post 224 and AMVETS Club 2002.

Johnnie is preceded in death by his wife, Jerry Patent, and all but one sister, Loretta Hahn, Coleridge.

He is survived by his daughter, Sharon, and her husband, Dan Derbyshire, Shallotte, N.C.; his granddaughter, Janelle, her husband, Eric Branoff; two great-grandchildren, Daniel and Madilynn, Fuquay Varina, N.C.; his grandson, Bryant Derbyshire and his wife, Emmie, Denver, Colo.; and many nieces and nephews.

There will be a graveside service with military honors at the South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, Fla., 10:30 a.m.. Jan. 14. A memorial service with honor guard will be held at 3 p.m., Jan. 14, at the Buckhead Ridge VFW Post 9528.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation in memory of Johnnie Patent may be made to: Buckhead Ridge VFW Post 9528, 29012 East SR 78, Okeechobee, FL, 34974.