The Gardener’s Legacy
The Gardener has gone to Heaven.
Joyce’s Dad, Dick Patty, went Home to Glory at 95 years of age on Wednesday, July 14, 2021. The family penned these words on a sign and placed it by the little red vegetable wagon on the sidewalk by Dick and Margaret’s home, along with invitations to his memorial service.
Dick sold his amazing garden produce from this wagon to neighbors and friends for many years. He was well-known and loved not only in their neighborhood, but by so many across the U.S. and around the world.
Dick and Margaret are one of four founding couples of OCSC/Cadence International. They began and built one of OCSC’s first Servicemen’s Centers in Subic Bay, Philippines. Dick also led the mission for eleven years as its second General Director.
He then served as the Europe Field Director for 13 years, expanding the footprint of OCSC there from four ministries to over thirty. This included the establishing of Malachi Ministries, now Cadence Student Ministries, founded by two of his adult children, Joyce and Dave Patty.
Dick was a pioneer and started many new ministries, conferences, retreats, and other events and resources for the military. He and Margaret excelled in hospitality, eternally impacting many hundreds of people a few at a time in the warmth and love of their home.
Approximately 350 people came from across the U.S. and around the world to attend his memorial service here in Colorado. Hundreds more watched via livestream online. You can watch this celebration of Dick’s life as a Founder, Missionary, and Patriarch by going to Cadence.org/DickPattyMemorial.
On a personal note, Dick was my beloved father-in-law. I experienced his love, wisdom, leadership, courage, and faith first-hand. He taught me much about life and leadership.
I also learned gardening from Dick. He taught me the importance of the soil, and he was proud of the dark, vibrant, and nutrient-rich topsoil he had cultivated over many years. I’ll always remember the picture of Dick behind his rototiller turning the soil, preparing it for the seeds to be planted.
This is how Dick lived his life as well, carefully preparing the soil of people’s hearts for the seeds of wisdom and the gospel planted in love, often over a long period of time. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9
The Gardener has gone to Heaven, yes, but the work and ministry Dick began must be carried on by each of us in our families, neighborhoods, places of work, military communities, and around the world. This is how we honor the legacy of such a man as Dick Patty.
David Schroeder
President
