Service Details
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, September 14, 2018, 11:00am, at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 6400 Spring Street. Visitation will be from 10:00am until the time of the Mass.
Memorial Suggestions
In memory of Patricia’s heroic battle with leukemia, in lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations in her name to the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society of America.
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Mount Pleasant – It is with profound sadness for the family of Patricia Joan Podlogar, to announce that she passed away peacefully only a few days before her 79th birthday on Tuesday, September 11, 2018. Patricia is remembered by her husband, Ludvick to whom she had been married for 57 years and her brother Robert (Kaye). She leaves behind 4 sons: Brent (Susan), Kurt (Mary), Eric (Susan) and Vaun (Amy). Patricia was blessed to have 17 grandchildren Michael (29), Jeffrey (27), Sarah (26), Catharine (24), Vaughn (24), Madeline (21), Samuel (19), Benjamin (18), Esther (16), Alex (14), Matthew (14), Mary (12), Lauren (11), Ruth (11), John (9), Luke (7), Levi (5) and 2 great-grandchildren Louis and George.
Patricia was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1939. She graduated as a top student from Cody High School 1956. As an employee of the Burroughs Corporation she met her future husband in 1958 and married in 1961; they settled in Racine in 1965, becoming active members of St Paul the Apostle Catholic church. After raising her 4 boys, Patricia began a 33-year career as a member of the administrative staff of Lincoln Lutheran Convalescent Center in 1977.
Patricia glowed when she spoke of her family, and fondly recounted stories of raising four boys. Patricia loved her ceramics classes, and her friends and family are proud owners of the many pieces she has made over the years. Throughout her life, she demonstrated her green thumb and had one of the most productive gardens in the neighborhood. Patricia and her husband loved to take rides off the beaten path and go antiquing; over the years she has amassed a beautiful collection of broaches featuring every conceivable animal and insect. She cherished her weekly card club with her girlfriends, playing Euchre, Sheepshead, and Hearts.
In memory of Patricia’s heroic battle with leukemia, in lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations in her name to the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society of America. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, September 14, 2018, 11:00am, at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 6400 Spring Street. Visitation will be from 10:00am until the time of the Mass. The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at the Siena Center for the dedication and care they provided to Patricia.
Eric Podlogar says
My Mother was a gift to the world and I am honored to try to frame her life with a few words…
Patricia, Pat, Patsy… …never Tricia, Trish or Patty… …sometimes Mrs. P…
She absolutely loved and would do anything for her family and friends.
Holidays were extra special.
Perhaps to a fault, she would try to recreate Norman Rockwell every year and was truly upset if any of us missed Christmas.
Children held a special place in her heart. She was the grown-up that would listen.
…and she had this uncanny ability to pull out a toy or treat to an unsuspecting but distressed youngster. She did this just a handful of days ago when her great grandchildren visited her at Siena and were becoming overly animated.
Seemingly out of nowhere, she opened the bedside drawer and pulled out a few quick Rice Krispie treats and saved the day (where DID she get those treats from within this spartan room?)
She absolutely relished doing these little things, these small surprises… She derived her greatest joy in delivering joy.
But then, this was but one example of my Mother’s keen ability to connect with people on a personal level. She always did these little things to bring you in close:
…candy in her pocket
…or a timely card or note in the mail
…a quick snack, or even a beer or drink
We didn’t always understand her.
For example, one of her favorite films was Martin Scorsese’s “Big Shave”, which graphically details a man’s attempt at shaving gone horribly wrong. She watched our faces as we watched the film with horror. As an aside, I would have expected the lesson to be not to shave, yet she truly hated our beards…. Go figure.
Her golumpki and pierogi were excellent, as were many of the other dishes that she prepared.
I know that she wasn’t the original author of many of the recipes, but she always found a way to make them her own and in doing so, she added an important ingredient to our home.
They didn’t always start out that way. Meatloaf… And perhaps that is one lesson: She kept trying, experimenting and learning from every failure.
She was resourceful…and not just in the kitchen.
One day when my brother Vaun and I were very young, she took us to the junkyard to retrieve a part for the car (it was a lock for the glovebox). There were two small screws that firmly held the piece in place, and without a proper screwdriver, she pulled out her finger rosary and untorqued the part. Yes, the Lord works in mysterious ways. In this case, as a flat-head screwdriver.
My mother was never condescending…. Always gracious and elegant beyond measure. Very quick with a smile and a kind word. A real. Genuine. Person.
If nothing else, the pain of her absence and the hole created with her departure must surely be a sign that she was something special.
Of course she would not tolerate so much attention on herself. Perhaps she would ask that you do something small for someone else. Yes, she would ask that you go find joy today by delivering some joy.
Anonymous says
RIP you will be miss Annie Blunt
Anonymous says
Rip annieblunt
Randi DeWall and family says
Eric, what an amazing tribute to your mom. I laughed out loud with the rosary as a screwdriver story! I am so sorry for your loss and I know you and your family will miss her dearly.
Sue and Bruce Reber says
Lud and Children,
I am so sorry Bruce and I were unable to attend the services due to medical problems. I loved your mother and she loved me. We had a special connection that I have never found with another person. Eric I loved your remembrance of such a special mother. I am so sorry for the profound loss you, Brent, Kurt, Vaughn and your dadaist be feeling.
Please accept my sincere condolences.
Love,
Sue and Bruce Reber