Nephi Monroe Patton of Philomath, Oregon, passed away peacefully on Sept. 14, 2026. It is a testament to his devotion to his family that he was surrounded by his loving wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in his concluding days as his health waned.
Nephi was born in Lamar, Colorado, on Oct. 22, 1934, the third of four children and the only boy. His unique given first name brought a lifetime of raised eyebrows and mispronunciations. His father loved the Book of Mormon and had two names in mind which he liked from the book. One would be for his newborn son and the other for his newly acquired dog. The dog got the name Helaman, and the son got the name Nephi. The dog ran off a few months later and Nephi stayed.
He was a gifted athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball, and participating in track at Provo High School in Utah. Graduating as the class valedictorian in 1952, he then moved on to Utah State University with an athletic scholarship to play football for the Aggies. Nephi volunteered for the draft in 1954 near the end of the Korean War era. The United States Army’s GI Bill for educational tuition coverage was of great interest to him as he realized his small stature and 150-pound frame were not cut out for long-term college football. His Army service took him to Fort Ord, California; Fort Devens, Massachusetts; and finally Fort Huachuca, Arizona, serving in the Army’s Signal Corps, sending and receiving Morse Code and intercepting enemy messages.
With an honorable discharge, Nephi returned to Utah State University in 1956 to complete his bachelor of science degree. His first Sunday back at USU, he spied an “absolutely stunning” dark-haired beauty who had dropped her shoe from a dormitory balcony. A lifelong tease, Nephi hid Diane Barker’s shoe, not agreeing to give it back until she agreed to go on a date with him. Nephi graduated from Utah State University on June 8, 1958, with a degree in zoology, married Diane on June 12, 1958, and the couple set out for veterinary school at the University of California at Davis. After graduating from veterinary school in June 1962, Nephi began his career in central California, eventually purchasing an animal hospital in San Leandro, where he practiced from 1963 to 1968.
With a strong interest in academia, he made the decision to return to training in a Laboratory Animal Medicine program at the University of Missouri at Columbia. Four years later, a PhD in veterinary pathology and a Laboratory Animal Medicine certification completed, Nephi accepted a job at Oregon State University at Corvallis as the director of Laboratory Animal Resources, where he spent the remainder of his formal career, 1972 to 1996. He had a productive and accomplished career. Along with an associate, Dr. Peter Cheeke, Dr. Patton developed the Rabbit Research Center at OSU, joined the International World Rabbit Congress, and both traveled the country and the world speaking on rabbit nutrition (Dr. Cheeke) and diseases of rabbits (Dr. Patton). Dr. Patton and Dr. Cheeke authored a book, “Rabbit Production,” in its 10th edition of printing and currently still earning five-star reviews on Amazon. They also produced the “Journal of Applied Rabbit Research” for 20 years. Upon formal retirement from OSU, with his legendary work ethic, Nephi continued his working days up until the age of 89, along with his son, Lance, in the rabbit business.
Nephi was a faithful and valiant disciple of Christ, serving as a teacher, leader, missionary, bishop and temple worker for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His family has countless memories of serving alongside him in many capacities, helping others. He was a talented, brilliant, entertaining, tenacious, loyal, principled man. He will be honored, remembered, and missed by his wife Diane, his children Cody (Colleen) Patton, Lance (Terra) Patton, Tammi (Eric) McLaughlin, and his daughter-in-law Sarah Castleton. He has 14 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Nephi was preceded in death by his son Jaimy Patton, his parents Milton and Marguerite Patton, and his sisters, Betty Greer, Patty Stubbs and Sharon Ford.
A viewing will be held from 9 to 10 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 10 a.m., on Sept. 26, 2026, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 150 James St., Philomath, Oregon.