Joseph Ernest Patrick Jr.

Joseph E. (Pat) Patrick, 80, of Atlanta, Georgia, died on April 12, 2026. He was born July 14, 1945 in Dallas, Texas, the son of Joseph E. and Geraldine A. Patrick. Pat was especially proud of his family roots in the Greer and Adams families of Georgia's Newton and Morgan counties.

Pat grew up in Decatur, Georgia where he developed lifelong friendships. He attended Decatur High School, Class of 1963, and enjoyed summers on the golf course at East Lake and driving the delivery truck for Fairview Florist. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1967, where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He entered the US Army through Vanderbilt's ROTC program and served as a Company Commander in the 4th Armored Division in Nuremberg, Germany following graduation.

After many years with the John H. Harland Company, Pat left to start his own business, Label America, in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He led the company to become an industry leader and served as president of the North American Label Printing Association, TLMI. Highlights of his career include being named Georgia Small Businessperson of the Year and serving on the President's Drug Advisory Council under President George H.W. Bush. His life was active with service on various boards in Atlanta and Covington, Georgia and Highlands, North Carolina, including the Harland Charitable Foundation and the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Presbyterian College and received an honorary doctorate in 2011. He was a "cradle Presbyterian" and enjoyed nothing more than wearing his Scottish kilt to the annual Kirkin' of the Tartan.

Great sources of pride for Pat were his two daughters, Dr. Bonnie Patrick, MD and Dr. Heather McCloskey, PhD, along with his son-in-law Mike McCloskey and grandchildren William Hannah, Harry Hannah, Rebecca McCloskey and Cal McCloskey. He was predeceased by infant grandchildren Libby and Patrick McCloskey. He is also survived by his sister Dorothea (Wink) Smith.

A graveside service will be held at Covington City Cemetery in Covington, GA on Friday, May 29 at 11 am. A reception will follow at the First Presbyterian Church of Covington.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations may be made to the Pat Patrick Scholarship Endowment at Lekotek GA, www.lekotekga.org.