Letter: Believing in Bigfoot

As a Lutheran pastor, now retired, I read with great interest, “Two Bigfoot conferences coming to Kennewick,” (TCH, March 1).

In January 1972, I visited Roger Patterson in a Yakima hospital several times, and had interesting conversations with him. On one occasion I asked him, “Roger, do you really believe in the reality of Bigfoot?” Without hesitation he answered, “Oh yes, absolutely, there is no question about it!” I found Roger to be a gracious and fine gentleman.

Some weeks following, upon his death, I was honored to conduct Mr. Patterson’s funeral service at one of the Yakima funeral homes. Following the service, I stood at the grave along with his family and friends and pronounced the words of committal.

Now many years later, I look back on that experience and have often ask myself, “In burying Roger Patterson, did I also bury Bigfoot with him?”

This story was originally published April 21, 2016 at 8:25 PM with the headline "Letter: Believing in Bigfoot."