Patricia A. Patchik

Patricia A. Patchik, née Thrift, 86, of Harvard, IL, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Daughter of the late Thomas and Anna Belle (Kent) Thrift, Patricia was born on September 5, 1939, in Chicago, IL.

On her 20th birthday, she married Stanley (Sandy) Patchik, and together they raised three children, first in Chicago, and later on a 14-acre farm in Big Foot that became central to Pat's life.

Pat was an animal lover through and through. Horses, goats, cows, cats, dogs, there was always room for one more. She found joy in watching the wildlife that wandered across their land and took the opportunity to teach her children about a new plant or crop every season; one year peanuts, the next shelling dried Native popcorn that was popped in the family kitchen to enjoy with a movie. From her father, she learned how to garden as a family in their Victory Garden, and from her mother to can, freeze, and store the rest of the harvest in a root cellar for winter. On their own farm, Pat and Sandy added two prize pear trees while the family also gleaned wild grapes, plums, and apples from property tree lines to make jelly, jams, butters, and dehydrated fruits and herbs. To ensure good health and thrift for the family, Pat faithfully passed down gardening and fresh food preservation skills to her children and grandchildren, along with countless other practical lessons. She cultivated not only crops but curiosity, encouraging interests in music, art, literature, mechanics, nature, films, history, and lifelong learning. Her legacy is one of capability, creativity, and independence.

Widowed at 42, Pat showed remarkable strength caring for the farm with the help of her children and guided her family with steady determination. Though primarily a homesteader, she also worked in retail, banking, and factories to support her family. Living up to her name, Thrift, Pat loved that her first job, at a Chicago bank, highlighted her station and nameplate, front and center as one entered the doors. She delighted in the jokes as customers asked her if she was 'thrifty' tailoring both her name to their jest and as a real part of her nature.

Pat had a quick wit and an exceptional memory. She loved classic black-and-white Westerns, could recite Hollywood trivia with ease, and told the unforgettable story of dancing on American Bandstand at age 13 as a moment she remembered with unmistakable pride. She enjoyed crafting and crochet, and her beautiful smile radiated warmth to all who knew her.

As a grandmother, she was kind, joyful, and adventurous, taking her grandchildren to apple orchards, Old World Wisconsin, and medieval fairs, creating memories stitched together with laughter and love. Her grandchildren described their grandmother's care as time spent with every detail thought of, to create and share cherished experiences. As they grew, she offered a listening supportive ear with confidence, compassion, advice, and comfort.

Her faith as one of Jehovah's Witnesses was central to her life. She used prayer to derive hope and health for herself, and the people she loved. Pat nurtured all of her relationships with intention, frequently calling friends and family simply to check in. She had an uncanny sense for when someone might need her and cared deeply for her circle.

Pat will be remembered for her strength, her sweetness, her humor, and the enduring legacy of learning and love she planted in her family.

She was a guardian. She was fearless in love and stood strong for her family even when life got in the way. She stayed through the hardest times and never wavered to protect the ones who were lost but never lost to her. She was the ground from which you could fall, land, rest, grow, and rebuild. She was home.

Pat is survived by her children, Keith (Linda), Rango, and Paul (Tammy) Patchik; grandchildren, Deirdre and Tara McGarry, Joshua Patchik, and Alisen (Al) Spagnola. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and sisters, Joan (Tom) McLaughlin and Dale (Steve) Held.

Pat will be laid to rest in Big Foot Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Pat's honor to Fellow Mortals Wildlife Hospital, W4632 Palmer Rd., Lake Geneva, WI 53147, https://fellowmortals.org/help-wildlife/donate/. Online guestbook at saundersmcfarlin.net. Saunders & McFarlin Funeral Home is honored to serve the Patchik family.