In Appreciation
Marty Patterson
As all of you know HTP, FAS and the larger horticultural family lost a great colleague and a dear friend in the passing Marty Patterson. On so many levels—as a husband, father, colleague and friend—Marty’s passing was a real shock, a real body blow to everyone who knew and worked with him. It is hard to think of anything good that can come out of his passing—Marty was too young, too vibrant, and needed by too many. Yet we can use the occasion of his life to remind ourselves that the really important and special things in life are not programs, or policies, or procedures, but people. And people don’t come any finer than our dear friend Marty Patterson.
We are honored to have with us here today, Marty’s wife Constanza Patterson. With Constanza are her lovely daughters Alicia, Sylvia and Mariana.
Constanza, please know that for me---indeed for all of us here today—it was a privilege to have worked with Marty in FAS and in HTP. Marty was the consummate professional, which is why I entrusted to him the most complex and difficult portfolio in the division. On any given day, he was juggling a dozen or so hot issues—issues that were everyone else’s priority, very difficult to resolve and extremely complex. Yet, with calmness and with competence, he stayed on top of all of the issues, somehow managing to move each of them forward despite the many obstacles.
But it was not what he did, but how he did it, that was most impressive. Marty worked on tough and demanding issues usually accompanied with conflicting or competing agency interests. Yet through it all, Marty was pillar of integrity and decency—a man of his word, an honest man who brought people together when all the other forces were pulling them apart. That he did all of this with a smile on his face and humility in his spirit was all the more remarkable and gratifying to those worked with him.
But the real joy for all of us was in knowing Marty as a valued and dear friend. I am not sure I ever remember him without a smile on his face or positive outlook on the day. And despite his characteristic reserve, Marty was, in his own way, a very, very funny person—his sense of humor was clever and witty. Without question, one the favorite parts of my work week was my Wednesday staff meeting for HTP managers. Marty always sat on my right, and I would always keep one eye on him, just waiting for that impeccably timed, gut wrenchingly funny joke or comment. It was a kind of humor that made my day, and I valued it immensely.
But above all, it was that smile of his—that constant smile, that warm smile, that handsome smile, that inviting smile—that was his most captivating and endearing feature. And it will be that smile that will bring comfort, and in time, a sense of joy to everyone who had the good fortune to know and to work with him.
Constanza, I would like to finish on a personal note if I could. Marty and I related on many levels—as friends, work colleagues, as foreign service officers, but we had another very special bond, perhaps the most important and meaningful bond of all, and that is we are both the father of three daughters. We used to talk about life with so many girls in the house—about how crazy it could get at times. And we talked about how we also used to feign to others about how tough it was to be surrounded by so many females. Of course this was all so much bluster—we both knew that we were two of the luckiest guys on the face of the earth.
About a year ago, in one of those rather casual conversations, I mentioned to Marty that for Father’s Day, my daughters gave me a small plaque inscribed with the words “There is a Special Place in Heaven for the Father of Three Daughters.” Well, less than a month ago, we had a division retreat at my house. It was a fun day, and in looking back at all of the pictures, one could not help but notice that in every picture, Marty wore that special smile of his. Toward the end of the day, I happened to walk by him as he was exiting the bathroom. He had this quirky grin on his face, and so I asked him what was up. He said that he noticed the plaque. Naturally, I had forgotten that we had put the plaque in that bathroom, and so I asked him what he was referring to. He said, “You know, that plaque about the three daughters.” I said "Oh yeah, pretty neat, huh" and he replied "Yeah, pretty neat."
Our exchange lasted only about 10 seconds, and at the time it seemed so innocuous. Of course, today, it takes on a new and special significance. After the retreat, I went on a trip, and Marty eventually went on vacation. And it was the last time I had a chance to talk with him. But in looking back, if I had to have a final conversation with Marty, I am grateful that this is the one we had.
So Constanza, on behalf of Marty’s extended family in FAS and the horticultural sector--in appreciation for all that Marty did, and what he meant to each of us--I would like to present to you a replica of that plaque inscribed with the words “There is a Special Place in Heaven for the Father of Three Girls.”
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Frank Tarrant
Director, Horticultural and Tropical Products
Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA
July 17, 2003