David Allen Patton, 78, died October 6, 2026, at Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro.
He was born to William Robert “Bill” Patton, Sr. and Mendia Oliver Patton in Palmer, TN, on October 12, 1947
Mr. Patton was a U.S. Army veteran who served in Fort Hood, TX, at the same time his brother, Joel, was in Vietnam and Cambodia attached to the 25th Infantry.
An alderman on the Palmer Board of Mayor and Alderman and Chairman of the Palmer Municipal Planning Commission, he was also the Palmer Town Historian. His greatest joy in that capacity was locating the family for whom the town of Palmer was named.
Mr. Patton was deeply involved in local schools and founded the “Bill and Mendia Patton Patriotic Award” at the Grundy County High School in 2005. In 2006, he started an awards program at the Grundy County Spelling Bee followed by thriving awards programs at Monteagle and Pelham Elementaries. One of his joys was seeing students go on to college, and he has helped 82 of them since he began in 2017.
Another of Mr. Patton’s most heart-warming experiences was his involvement with the Palmer Veterans Memorial Park and presenting the Palmer Veterans Appreciation Award for 30 consecutive years with the high standard of each recipient having served overseas. At its beginning in 1986, local veterans were largely unrecognized and unappreciated publicly. The late World War II veteran, Y.B. Ashby, was an inspiration for this and also a tireless advocate for county-wide veterans.
In a span of over thirty-five years Mr. Patton wrote for the Grundy County Herald, the Grundy County Post, Cumberland Chronicle and the Cumberland View as well as ten years for the Grundy County Historical Society’s website.
The life-changing moment for Mr. Patton was when he was led to Christ by friend and Tennessee State Representative Paul Sherrell and baptized by Pastor Brett Meeks.
Mr. Patton is survived by brothers Billy and Joel Patton and nephew Ben Palmer Patton. Notable dear friends have been: Dwight & Linda Tate, Teeter & Becky Morrison, Paul & Miranda Sherrell, Pastor Brett & Anita Meeks, Darwin & Carolyn Shipley, David Scissom, P.C. Flury, Tommy Flury, Lisa Nunley, Ricky “Rock” Layne, Mark Roberts, Jimmy & Kathy Long, Sandy Yokley, Mary Priestly, Karen Tittle, Mike Shadrick, Janelle Taylor, Donna Basham, Teresa Emery, Robin Magouirk, Larry & Debbie Henry, the Dickerson Family, Rita Crabtree and Eddie Crabtree, Preston Knowlan, Clara Dean Owenby who is one of the greatest advocates for veterans in Grundy County history; Danny Crabtree, Michelle Campbell Morrison, W.H. “Bill” Nunley, Travis Turner, Pastor Tony & Lorraine King, the
James McCullough Family, Glenn & Audrey James, Charleston Nolan, Mc Arthur McPherson, Pastor Clayton Jones, and Homer Hunziker.
The family wishes to thank Grundy Housing Director Derryl Graham and his staff of Ryan Nunley, Jeremy Blaylock, Chad Campbell, Stephanie Mostashari, and Doris Magouirk for the kindness and help shown to their family member.
Interment of ashes will be held at a future date at Palmer Veterans Memorial with Pastor Brett Meeks officiating.
Moore-Cortner Funeral Home, 300 First Ave NW, Winchester, TN 37398, (931)-967-2222, www.moorecortner.com.
Pictured l-r: David Patton, sponsor of the Grundy County Spelling Bee, Brayden Kilgore McBee, participant in the Spelling Bee, Alexis Rollins Bennette, winner of the first Bee sponsored by Mr. Patton.
