Curtis Ronald Patrick Jr. was born on February 3, 1936, in Cleveland, Ohio, to the union of Curtis Ronald Patrick and Bertha Lucille Rogers. From this union, Curtis would gain one sister, Doris, who preceded her brother in death. Curtis was affectionately nicknamed “Chummy”, which his family continues to use, so much so, that some may be seeing his birth name for the first time.

Chummy was educated in the Cleveland Public School System and was later enrolled in Max Hayes trade school and learned to become a skilled auto body replacement and repair tradesman but moreover, he was always willing to work, even as a child, and would ask to perform odd jobs in and around his neighborhood which led to him becoming a gifted handyman; always willing to lend his skilled hands to friends and family when needed. The most important life preparation took place outside of the Cleveland schools that he attended, and that was his Christian background, which his mother made sure he received through attendance at the St. John’s AME Church, where he was welcomed into the kingdom of Christ.

After high school, Curtis served in the Marine Corps as a private first class and was honorably discharged with eligibility to re-enlist. He later met and married Mae Helen McJunkin and to this union two sons were born — Curtis Ronald Patrick III and Eric Terrell Patrick. At around the time that his namesake was born, Curtis joined the Cleveland Public School System as a laborer and continued to advance in his career to head custodian/licensed boiler engineer, a job which he maintained until his retirement 30 years later.

Although his first marriage ended in divorce, Curtis knew that he could still be a good, Christ-centered husband. Sometime later, in 1976, on a day when he was spending time with his two sons at Randall Park Mall, he saw a lady walking towards him — a lady at whom he gazed like a cold drink of water on a hot summer’s day. He asked his sons if they wanted to eat at the restaurant she went into. They obliged, and he met Carolyn and introduced himself as Patrick.

On June 16, 1979, Patrick and Carolyn were married and to their union three more sons were born — Darian Anthony Patrick, Jason Troy Patrick, and Christopher Adam Patrick. During their 40-year marriage, Patrick instilled in all of his sons the importance of responsibility and his desire for each to grow to be men that they could be proud of and would be pleasing in God’s kingdom. And for his Carol, he showed his love every day, and she in turn returned this love as his wife, friend, and caregiver.

Throughout Patrick and Carol’s marriage, he always worked to provide for his family and was a well-known, sought after, and beloved disc jockey in the local party scene under his adopted moniker “Mothership Connection”, and later honed his skills as a photographer and passed this skill on to his sons.  Patrick was a social phenomenon before the Internet and could hold you in a conversation longer than most folks found necessary; he called everyone his friend. He and Carol became members of the Mt. Zion Church of Oakwood Village where he served in the City Mission ministry and generously contributed both to the Church and to the homeless, always praying for and spreading the good news of Christ. He loved his Church and his church family.

He lost his beloved son, Curtis R. Patrick III in 2014, but leaves to mourn his passing, his wife, Carolyn; sons Eric (wife, Xaviera), Darian (wife, Emily), Jason, and Christopher; five grandchildren, Curtis IV, Eric Jr., Nyah, Shanna, and Noah. Curtis was part of a very large, loving, and close-knit family, but he was especially close to two of his cousins who were more like a sister and brother to him, Vivian Evans, and Lloyd Wilson.  He will be missed by a host of family, extended family, church family, and friends.