Mary ‘Phyllis’ Patrie, 97
Mary “Phyllis” Patrie, age 97 of New Hampton, died Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, at MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019, at Holy Family Catholic Church in New Hampton, with the Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the Mass.
Interment was held in the New Hampton City Cemetery with David Stolz, Kit O’Donohoe, Chip Schwickerath, Gary Gorman, Bob Lynch, and Larry Throndson serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Myrna Hentges, Judy Hoffman, Kathy Lensing, Karen Krall, Darlene Throndson, Kathy O’Connor, Mary Wegner, and Delores Weigel.
Friends greeted the family from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton where there was a 6:45 Parish Scripture Service. Visitation continued an hour prior to the Mass on Saturday at the church.
Mary Phyllis Patrie was a life-long resident of Howard and Chickasaw counties.
She was born on July 14, 1922, and grew up on a farm in the Elma-Cecelia area.
She graduated from Osage High School and went on to study cosmetology.
During the pre-war years, she traveled with friends to work as a cosmetologist.
Following the war, she returned to Iowa, and there, she met her future husband, Mel Patrie. Mel was a World War II veteran and was subsequently recalled to the service during the Korean Conflict. Phyllis and Mel spent almost two years at Fort Riley, Kansas.
They returned to New Hampton and raised a family — including three sons, Rick, Pat and Jim, and a daughter, Janann. They made their home first on an acreage west of New Hampton, and later in town.
When the children were older, Phyllis returned to work in the kitchens of the New Hampton schools. She continued there for over 15 years.
Mel died in 1992, not long after both he and Phyllis had retired. They had long loved their time spent together during summers on the Mississippi, and winters in Texas.
Phyllis continued to be active in volunteer circles throughout the community, especially at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the community hospital, into her early ’90s.
Phyllis, who lived to 97 years of age, resided for nearly the last three years at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
But for over 90 years she was well known throughout her neighborhood and community as a person of boundless energy and enthusiasm. She was an accomplished handyman in her home and friends marveled when she continued to push mow her large lawn well into her 80s.
Phyllis brought the same tough spirit to the final years of her life at New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation, where everyone was “treated” to a running dose of her unique Irish wit and feisty nature.
Phyllis is survived by three sons, Rick Patrie of Eldora, Pat Patrie of Cedar Falls, and Jim Patrie of Charlottesville, Virginia; one daughter, Janann Loetscher of Klamath Falls, Oregon; four grandchildren, Channon (Pat) Galligan of Wausau, Wisconsin, Steven (Sarah) Patrie of Wilmette, Illinois, Ashley (Brian) Luo of Sunnyvale, California, and Jon Loetscher of Eugene, Oregon; two great-grandchildren, Ayden Galligan and Lilyann Patrie; and one sister-in-law, Rhea Burns of South Saint Paul, Minnesota.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Melvin in 1992; daughter, Judith in infancy; brother, Jack Burns.
