Jerel Patrick

19th St in San Francisco, Jan 1990

Jerel Wayne Patrick
aka Jezebel of Pixley
22 Sep 1956 - 27 Apr 2002

Clubs & Associations

The Bradley Family
Shady Rest Dancers
Western Star Dancers

Obituary

Jerel Wayne Patrick
September 22, 1956 — April 27, 2002 Jerel was born in Bakersfield, California, eldest son of L.E. and Oleta Bennett Patrick. After high school, Jerel joined the Air Force in 1975, where he served as a Fire Protection Specialist at Edwards Air Force Base until his honorable discharge in 1978.

He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1980s, where he worked many jobs including a loan specialist for United Bank, a partner in a vintage clothing wholesale business, and a bartender at several bars in San Francisco and the East Bay. His bright smile and charming personality often landed him bartending jobs at private parties as well.

In the mid-1980s Jerel learned that he was HIV+. Undaunted, he started his own house cleaning service, "Uncle Pat's Cleaning." He helped facilitate programs conducted by Kaiser Medical to assist other HIV patients in self-actualization and dealing with the disease as a controllable, chronic illness. He also wrote a regularly published column entitled "Positive Living with HIV" in an East Bay newsletter.

In the fall of 2001 Jerel was dealt with another crushing health challenge: he was diagnosed with cancer. How odd, that he had controlled his HIV infection for so many years, just to have another illness, far worse, befall his life. He fought a tough battle, but passed from life in the late afternoon of April 27, 2002. By his side were both his parents, his brothers Brian, Scott and Arick, and friends Lorraine, Lisa and Danny.

A celebration of Jerel's life will be held on Saturday, August 3rd at the Double Play Restaurant and Bar, 2401 16th Street at Bryant from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, please call (415) 641-4549 or (650) 359-5130. Those wishing to do so may make a contribution in Jerel's name to the San Francisco AIDS Emergency Fund or the American Cancer Society.^[1]