Patricia Ann Sigler

Patricia Ann Sigler, 75, was the second of three children born to Veronica and Clem Bielejeski. Widely regarded as a quintessential example of “Minnesota Nice,” Pat was born on November 18, 1944 in St. Cloud, MN and passed away at her Camano Island home on April 26, 2020 after receiving a diagnosis of ovarian cancer five years earlier. Special thanks, gratitude, and much respect to Skagit Valley Cancer Care Center’s Dr. Jafari and nurses for that “significant extension of life” and the care and comfort that Hospice NW provided for the last three months of her life.

Salutatorian, cheerleader, and Homecoming Queen, Pat acquired a proficiency in secretarial skills at Henderson High School and worked at insurance companies prior to her marriage to Harold (Satch) Sigler on September 12, 1964. When their daughter Stephanie was born in July, 1965, they moved to Fairfax, MN where Harold taught at the high school for two years. In 1967 they moved to Lake Stevens, WA where Pat was a secretary for Weyerhaeuser’s Research and Development in Everett and Harold taught. Pat’s college credits at Mankato State, EvCC, and Western Washington University earned her a B.A. degree in Elementary Education in June, 1976.

Pat taught third grade at Holy Rosary in Edmonds, WA for eleven years. In 1983, they purchased a 25’ Tanzer sailboat, christened it NANIBOUJOU (after their honeymoon lodge; translation—Great Spirit of the NW). In the fall of 1987, Pat accepted a fourth-grade position at Mt. Pilchuck Elementary School in Lake Stevens. Their Edmonds to Lake Stevens commute became a Camano Island to Lake Stevens commute when they moved to their island home following Christmas in 1990. After 14 years of exploring Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the Gulf Islands in B. C., they sold NANIBOUJOU, replaced it with a small crab boat, and enjoyed fishing for the tasty Dungeness crab. Trips by van across Canada and the U.S. followed retirement from teaching in 2000. Trips to London, Paris, and three Hawaiian islands were memorable, as were cruises to Alaska and New England. Bird watching trips to Florida, Mexico, and Arizona were highlights. In retirement Pat had time to perfect her sewing, quilting, knitting, cooking, and baking skills. She enjoyed water color and sketching classes. She especially loved making quilts for the Cama Beach cabins (state park) with other members of the Camano Island Quilters.

In January, 2020, Harold, Pat, and Stephanie enrolled Pat in Hospice NW and called for a gathering, “A Time for Gratitude” —a positive, living memorial— of family, friends, neighbors, and some of Pat’s former students at the Camano Center in mid-February to acknowledge their support during Pat’s long and courageous battle with a terminal disease. To be clear, it was also a celebration of a sweet life. Pat loved being surrounded by the closest people in her life who could attend on short notice.

Pat is survived by her husband Harold (Satch) Sigler, daughter Stephanie Kasper, brother Stan Bielejeski (Judy), brothers-in-law Dean Dwyer, Norman Wilkes, Dan Sigler; sisters-in-law Colleen Wilkes, Maureen Sigler, and Sharon Sigler; nieces Rachel Mezera (Brian), Angie Ovsak (Gary), Emily Gonzalez (Chris), Leah Ramzy (Nader); nephews Darren Bielejeski (Bree), Ross Bielejeski (Nina), Nick Dwyer (Lauren), Nathan Wilkes (Alisha); great nieces Jaiden Mezera, Allison and Avery Dwyer, Stella, Amelia and Charlie Bielejeski, Katelin Ovsak, Nora Gonzalez, Aeva and Falen Wilkes; great nephews Jakob Mezera, Austin Ovsak, Lucas and Jonas Ramzy, Stanley Jack and William Frank Bielejeski. Pat was preceded in death by her parents Clem and Veronica Bielejeski, sister Paulette Dwyer, nephew Shawn Sigler, and sister-in- law Margo Sigler.