NEWS: Design engineer Steve Beattie Patrick passes away

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http://www.amusementtoday.com/

 

Design engineer Steve Beattie Patrick, whose visionary work with Walt Disney Imagineering, Jet Propulsion Laboratory and his own company, Interactive Design Engineering, ranged from projects such as the Mars Rover to theme park rides to concert stage effects for performers Madonna, Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, has died at the age of 59 after a year-long battle with kidney cancer.

 

Steve Patrick was born on December 2, 1950 near Kyushu, Japan to Haruko Ota, from Kobe, Japan, and Roy Beattie Patrick, originally from Laramie, Wyoming and living in Japan while serving in the U.S. Army.

 

Steve graduated from California State University at Northridge in 1975 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts. Under the mentorship of Walt Disney Company legend Bob Gurr, he subsequently designed ride vehicles for Disney's EPCOT Center, then worked at Universal Studios where he designed the simulator motion base for both "Back to the Future" (now "The Simpson's" ride) and "Earthquake L.A." As a senior engineer with Disney Imagineering he was instrumental in the development of theme park equipment, special effects and animatronics robots. He was an active member of the Themed Entertainment Association.

 

"The outstanding thing that everyone liked about Steve is he was always ready to do anything; his being there really made a difference," says Bob Gurr, who developed more than 100 designs for Disney attractions including Autopia, the Matterhorn Bobsleds andMonorail systems.

 

In 1992, he formed Interactive Design Engineering (IED), and provided engineering for consumer companies and online platforms such as Xulu, as well as designs for the entertainment industry, concert tours and theatrical equipment, and continued his work with theme parks, including Universal Studios Japan. He was the head of the engineering team for Designs International of Dallas, Texas.

 

With Designs International, he was head of engineering for Sega Projects, working on Joylopus in Japan and Sega World at Piccadilly Circus in London.

 

Designs International CEO Marshall Gardner describes Steve as: “A very rare soul who thrived working on great projects and mechanical systems with the best talent around—and Steve was unquestionably one of the best!"

 

An avid fly fisherman, photographer and sculptor, he loved to spend time in the Eastern Sierras and national parks. He was a lifelong car enthusiast and a valued member of the Porsche 912 Registry and Porsche Club of America. He was a leader of Boy Scouts of America Troupe #288 in La Crescenta, and a member of Sierra Pacific Flyfishers. He loved food, wine, music, and also enjoyed studying art, archeology and anthropology; he recently traced his paternal genealogy to 11th century England.

 

Steven Patrick died on April 23 at his home in Altadena, California. He is survived by his wife Debbi Swanson Patrick, sons David and Christopher from his previous marriage, mother Haruko Ouellette, sisters Angelique Ilo and Trish Jacobs, as well as beloved aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

 

Memorial services will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Steven Patrick's name to The Awareness Center in Pasadena via check (http://www.awarenesscenteryoga.org) or to Southern California Hospice Foundation online (socalhospicefoundation.com).