Wes Patterson

Wes Patterson, 72, of Taos passed away on July11, 2020. He was a New Mexican native and began his life in Mosquero.  His parents were a hardware-store owner and a bank clerk.  Wes attended school in Springer and Portales and received a full scholarship to Michigan State University at the dawn of the computer age.  After his undergraduate work, he earned his Masters and PhD in computer engineering from Arizona State University.  He has 12 patents.  His career ultimately drew him to Silicon Valley where he had a very successful career as COO and CEO of companies designing computer processing chips, one of which he took public.  He also designed the computer chip for the train/bus crash in the movie The Fugitive.  After retirement, Wes moved to Taos to be closer to family and return to the state that he loved. In Taos, he met and married Stacy Quinn. He was an active member of the Taos community. He worked with the Taos Community Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Amigos Bravos, and the Taos Men’s Shelter, among other organizations. He was also an active member of St. James Episcopal Church, a community that he loved. Wes was an avid fly fisherman, double-black diamond skier, and reader throughout his life. He is remembered as a generous man, with many interests, who sought to enrich the community and world in which he lived.

Wes is preceded in death by his father, John Wesley Patterson, Jr. and his sister, Marlene Ditto. He is survived by his mother, Mary Boardman of Albuquerque, wife, Stacy Quinn of Taos, daughter, Danielle Hsu of Bellaire, TX, step-daughter, Tara Murphree of Los Gatos, CA, step-son, Wiley Driskill of Fresno, CA, step-son, Paul Q. Rychener of Bozeman, MT as well as two nephews, one great nephew, two great nieces, and six grandchildren. 

 A family memorial service was held Monday, July 20, 2020 at St. James Episcopal Church in Taos. Contributions in his memory may be made to St. James Church, The Taos Community Foundation, Amigos Bravos, Habitat for Humanity, or Taos Men’s Shelter.  

Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home, Taos.  To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com