Attorney, Public Servant

Bruce Charles Patterson, age 78, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2025.

Born February 7, 1947, in Detroit, Michigan, Bruce was the beloved son of William and Margaret Patterson. He earned both a Bachelor of Arts (1969) and a Juris Doctor (1972) from Wayne State University, launching a career that combined private law practice, higher education advancement, and public service.

Bruce practiced law for many years and served as president and partner of McCabe, Middleton & Patterson, P.C. Before entering elected office, he served as Director of Planned Giving at Eastern Michigan University (1991–1994), where he coordinated faculty/staff development campaigns and led planned-giving efforts to strengthen the university’s philanthropic programs. His EMU role reflected his legal background and commitment to education and community development.

Bruce’s public service began at the local level. He served as a Wayne County Commissioner (1995–1998) before being elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 1999. As a freshman state representative, he served as Associate Speaker Pro Tempore, and in his second term he was elected Majority Floor Leader. In 2002 he was elected to the Michigan State Senate representing the 7th District (Belleville, Canton, Northville, Plymouth), where he served two terms from 2003 to 2010. During his tenure in the Senate, he chaired the Energy Policy & Public Utilities Committee and served on the Health Policy, Judiciary, and Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs committees. He was known as a thoughtful legislator who championed consumer protections, environmental stewardship, and government transparency.

Beyond his professional and public life, Bruce was a loving husband, devoted father, and proud grandfather. He found great joy in hunting, golfing, fishing, and taking long drives — but family remained his greatest pleasure. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis; their children Justin (Jess) Patterson, Denise (Anthony) Mettetal, and Lauren (Jeffrey) Winner; and grandchildren Tannis, Maverick, Arlette, and Winston. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Margaret Patterson.

A celebration of Bruce’s life will be held on September 19th, visitation 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and services from 4:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at McCabe Funeral Home, 851 N. Canton Center Rd. Canton MI 48187.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made to either the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516 or to  Angela Hospice, 14100 Newburgh Rd. Livonia, MI 48154 in his memory. 

Bruce was larger than life and will be missed beyond measure — remembered always with love, gratitude, and admiration.