Lyle was known to many people simply as “Coach.”
Lyle earned a bachelor of science degree from Wisconsin State University in LaCrosse, Wis., in 1955 and a master’s degree from Western Michigan University in 1960.
Lyle taught at two schools in Michigan and moved to Naselle in 1962,
where he stayed for 41 years. He taught math and coached basketball, track and football. Lyle received the Washington Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year award for the 1985-1986 season. He later became principal of Naselle High School. He retired from the Naselle School district in 1997. Lyle was honored by the Naselle community in 2005, with the naming of the “Lyle Patterson Gym” at Naselle High School.
After his retirement, Lyle coached two years at Knappa High School in Oregon and took them on to win the state championship both years. He also coached women’s basketball for a year at Lower Columbia College. In 2002, Coach Patterson was elected to the Washington State Boys’ Basketball Hall of Fame for his outstanding record of 623 career wins (the second-highest total for a Washington coach at the time of Lyle’s retirement) vs. 220 losses. He was very proud of his former students, which include successful engineers, doctors, businessmen and women, coaches, and teachers.
Lyle married the love of his life, Elaine, Aug. 19, 1955. Together they had three boys, Wade (Kathy), Gordon (Carrie), and Dwight (Dana). They had 11 grandchildren.
