John Robert Patrick, 99

WWII vet was devoted to community

John Robert "Powerful" Patrick, 99, of Provincetown, died peacefully on Monday, Aug. 13, at the Cape End Manor after a brief illness.

Born and raised in Province-town, Mr. Patrick was the son of the late Manuel and Sadie (New-comb) Patrick. He was married for 44 years to his beloved wife Betty (Greenwood) Patrick, who predeceased him in 1980.

At 14, he left school to help support his family and continued working until his retirement, at the age of 91. He accomplished much in those many years. He was a fisherman, a stagehand and actor for the Provincetown Wharf Players Theatre, and helped build the bridges over the Cape Cod Canal. He also helped bring electricity to the Outer Cape. During WW II and the Korean War, he was one of a very select group of men who served as industrial sabotage agents in the Midwest. While in Michigan he spent his summer weekends at his passion: umpiring baseball games, from little league to the minor leagues. Upon his return to Provincetown, he ran his own business for 18 years making and selling chlorine. He also had a lucrative firewood business and provided cleaning service to most of the homes and businesses in town and the Lower Cape. He spent his senior years working for the Provincetown Inn and ended his career working for the town of Provincetown as a re-stroom attendant

It was important to Mr. Patrick to serve his community, which he did as a member of the airport commission and for many years as one of the town's registrars of voters. He was also active in the Masonic Fraternity, having served as a worshipful master of King Hiram's Lodge, a district deputy grand master of the former Provincetown 32nd Masonic District, and a high priest of the former Joseph Warren Royal Arch Chapter in Wellfleet was also past president of the Cape Cod Past Masters Association. He also served as a past patron of both the former Chequocket and Wellfleet chapters, Order of the Eastern Star, and was both a York Rite and a Scottish Rite Mason. He was also a member of the Provincetown United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his daughter, Joan M. Drysdale, of Provincetown; four grandchildren, Liesa Donnelly of Nashua, N.H., Donna Herman and her husband George of Lawrence, Carl Patrick Drysdale of Key West,

Fla., and Steven Patrick Drysdale and his wife, Randy, of Harwich; a special foster grandson, Robert D. Olcott, of Vineyard Haven; nine great-grandchildren and the love of his life, his two-year-old great grandson, Christian. He will also be sorely missed by his friend and chauffeur, Muriel Spears, and his eight pets, Tutu and Khaenn, Tigger and Sirona, Spike, Jo-ee, Galadriel and Arwen.

A celebration of his life will take place  at noon Sept. 15th at the United Methodist Church, Shank Painter Road. Mr. Patrick requested that black clothing not be worn as there is no need to mourn him. In lieu of flowers. memorial donations may be made to KHL Masonic Angel Fund, C/O  King Hiram's Lodge, POB 1474, Orleans, MA 02653 or to Carrie A. Seaman Animal Shelter (CASAS), POB 1374, Provincetown MA 02657. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Gately-McHoul Funeral Home