Jon Patterson Obituary

Jon Storm "Stormy" Patterson was born on September 8, 1940, and passed away on May 24, 2022. Storm was raised in Boulder, CO, and attended Whittier Elementary School, Casey Junior High, and Boulder High School. He was a dedicated athlete throughout high school, competing on the football, track, and wrestling teams. Storm was the 1959 Colorado State Champion Wrestler at 165lbs. Although a naturally gifted athlete, Storm's true gift was that of an artist and musician. It was Storm's passion for music that would leave his stamp on the world. Upon graduation, Storm and two high school friends started the band that would eventually be known as The Astronauts. The Astronauts spent the early '60s playing at the infamous Tulagi on The Hill, Boulder's Olympic Lanes, Club Baja (14th and Stout in Denver), and numerous college campuses throughout the Midwest. The Astronauts would ultimately sign a record deal with RCA Victor in 1963 and release nine albums. The Astronauts found huge success in Japan, and even topped the singles and LP charts. It's rumored The Astronauts would have been a household name in the United States if a little-known band called The Beatles didn't make their way across the pond. The Astronauts were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2012. Following the disbandment of The Astronauts in the late '60s (primarily due to the Vietnam conflict), Storm spent time in California and back home in Colorado. He would later settle in Scottsdale, AZ, where he met Mary Lou Bonneville in October of 1991. They were married on June 30, 1992. Following a 26-year career with the dental instrument company Smart Practice, where Storm excelled in sales and marketing, he and Mary Lou happily retired in Payson, AZ. Storm continued writing songs and composing music until his passing. Jon Storm Patterson's interment was on June 6, 2022, at Paradise Memorial Cemetery in Scottsdale, AZ. Although he is gone, his music will live forever. Storm is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; his sister, Sunny Gilbert; and his niece, Windy Gallagher, and her children and grandchildren.