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Community Activist Is Mourned

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE Tampa Tribune

Published: February 9, 2008

Updated: 02/07/2008 04:33 pm

BRANDON - In contrast to the way he lived, Brandon resident John Paton died quietly Jan. 29 at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center nursing home in Tampa at age 87.

Quiet is not an adjective friends and family normally attached to Paton. His gregarious personality and willingness to pitch in when there was a need made him a fixture in Brandon, where he and his wife of 62 years, Mary Rodriguez Paton, lived since 1985.

The couple met at an Ybor City dance in 1942, when Paton was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base as a sergeant in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

"We loved dancing," Mary Paton said this week. "We'd go dancing whenever we had a chance."
John Paton proposed to his wife in a letter while he was stationed overseas, and they married in Chicago when the war ended. He was originally from Chicago. Mary is a Tampa native. They lived in St. Louis, where Paton worked in the financial field before he retired and the couple settled in Brandon.

"I don't think the furniture had even arrived yet when they got involved at Nativity Catholic Church, volunteering with the food pantry," said their son Robert. "You never saw one of them without the other. They were always together."

Although he did not become Catholic until he married, John Paton put his heart and soul into his church, Mary Paton said.

"He was a better Catholic than I was," she joked. "He got involved in everything having to do with the church."

Among the tasks he volunteered for was the unenviable position as chairman of Nativity Catholic School's Novemberfest, the school's annual carnival and fundraiser.

In addition, he served on the church's parish council and was instrumental in the formation of the Nativity Food Pantry Friendship Club, a group that raises money for the church's food pantry. He was active with the Nativity Men's Club and was a member of the Knights of Columbus Mother Seton Council 6724, also at Nativity.

His dedication earned him the Diocese of St. Petersburg's St. Jude the Apostle Medal for distinguished and outstanding service.

Paton also was a member of the local chapters of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans and served on the military affairs committee of the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife served as volunteers in the chamber office for a number of years, as well.

In addition, Paton was active with the Brandon Elks Lodge 2383, which led to his involvement with the Presidents' Roundtable of Greater Brandon, made up of members of nonprofit and service organizations. The roundtable hosts the annual Fourth of July parade and sponsors the honorary mayor's race. Paton held that title in 1995, when the Elks sponsored his campaign.

"He really enjoyed being mayor," Mary Paton said. "He enjoyed everything he did. That's why he did everything so well and was so well-liked. He always liked to be involved in things, especially in his community. I used to kid him that I hope I don't die on one of his meeting nights because he always hated to miss a meeting."

Not one to shy away from controversy, Paton was often front-and-center at town hall meetings and public hearings, speaking his mind about issues of concern to Brandon residents or voicing his thoughts in letters to the editor.

"I'm thankful that he's at peace, but I'm going to miss him terribly," Mary Paton said. "It's difficult when you're together as long as we were, but I thank God for every day we had together."

Paton is survived by Robert Paton and another son, John, and five grandchildren.

A funeral was held Monday at Nativity. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that contributions be made to the Nativity Food Pantry or the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524 or dlwhite@tampatrib.com.

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