Peter Michael Patano

Peter Michael Patano, 73 passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on March 7, 2016, at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, LA, due to complications from congestive heart failure. He was born on March 2, 1943, at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, MS.
Mike grew up in Ocean Springs, MS and graduated from Ocean Springs High School in 1961. He married Betty Gill of Moss Point, MS in1963 - they were married for 27 years.
Mike received his Business Administration degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in May 1968 and traveled the world during his management and finance career in international trade and containerized ocean transport. He visited Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Canada, and South America, and provided his family the incredible opportunities to live in Iran for one year, and in Hong Kong for seven years during his career. They also lived in Moss Point, MS; Ridgewood, NJ (where Mike worked in the newly-built World Trade Center); Tampa, FL; Athens, GA; and Mobile, AL.
Mike enjoyed inter-denominational studies, and was a member of the Catholic, and then Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints churches. Mike returned to his Catholic roots in 1994. He relished exploring the places in which he lived, kayaking and rafting, and meeting some of the artists of the nature and wildlife art he loved collecting. Mike took great joy in helping others through personal mentoring and donations. He never met a stranger and loved getting to know the many people he encountered in life. The numerous members of his medical team who visited him on his last day of life were a testament to the love and care he showed to everyone.
Mike is survived by his daughter Karen (Kenny) Lakeman of Mobile, AL; his siblings Linda Roberts of Ocean Springs, MS, Nick (Mary) Patano of Biloxi, MS, Susan (Nick) Randazzo of Gulfport, MS, Peter Patano II of Biloxi, MS, and Jim (Pam) Patano of Biloxi, MS. He is also survived by grandchildren Kimberly (Justin) Hardee, Matthew Lakeman, and Tyler Michael Lakeman, all of Mobile, AL, and many loving nieces, nephews, family, and friends.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Peter P. and Bertie L. Patano.
These beautiful thoughts were shared by Mike in 2014 while planning for his eventual passing,
""I have been blessed to have traveled the world, and in doing so, have found the hand of God in all that I have seen and the people met! I have been on mountains and in prairies, in valleys, on rivers and lakes and sea shores, and seen beautiful skies, all of which are sacred. I felt the wind of God and the Holy Spirit blow across my face in hundreds of places. My spirit soared. My life has been blessed in meeting people, all creations of God, on many continents. Since childhood, I have always wondered what was down the road, across the bridge and around the corner. I have traveled those roads and found without a doubt ""God saw all that he made, and it was good.""
A private gathering of family and close friends will be held to honor Mike's memory. His wishes were for his ashes to be scattered at sea, in his words, ""to be part of the vast beauty of what God has made.""
In lieu of flowers Mike requested memorial donations be made to the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, which ""welcomes all who wish to live their faith by loving and serving their neighbor."" Donations may be made by mail or online: P.O. Box 4098, Biloxi, MS 39531 or svdpbiloxi.org.