Patricia Schaefer, 88, New England, died Wednesday, July 3, 2024 surrounded by family at CHI St. Alexius, Dickinson. Patricia’s Celebration of Life Service, will be at 10 a.m., Friday, July 12, 2024 at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, New England, with Rev. Beth Parks officiating. Interment will take place the Hettinger Cemetery, Hettinger. Visitation will be on Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson, and will continue at the church on Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. There will be a time of sharing memories at 7 p.m., Thursday, at Ladbury Funeral Service.
Pat was the oldest of three girls. She was born in Aberdeen on June 5, 1936 to Olof Clarimont “Red” and Margaret (Doerr) Johnson. She was the “boy” of the family and was the one who helped her dad on the farm. She loved driving tractor and making hay. She always reminisced with family about how she loved being able to work along side her dad. She graduated from Hettinger High School and went on to school in the Black Hills to become a teacher, where she taught for a few years after graduation. Pat became a mother to David in 1962.
Grandma met the love of her life, Peter, and they were married in 1968. A year later in 1969, they had their first daughter, Tricia. They welcomed their second daughter, Tonya, in 1973. Pat always worked hard in her life, working at the potato factory and her true calling, a dispatcher for the Pine Bluffs Police Department for 12 years. They moved to Wyoming in 1968 and made lifelong friendships, and loved their life there. Pat and Pete were on a bowling team and she also loved to be outside, working in the yard. She especially loved going hunting in the mountains and obtained the nickname “Peppermint Patty.”
They moved to New England in 1996, to be closer to her mom, who was in Hettinger. Pat had a love for all animals, and her and Pete always had at least ten animals at one time. She leaves behind her best dog friend, Sassy, but greets her previous special bunch of animals in heaven.
Pat was meant to care for others. She always kept a clean house and made amazing food. Pat and Pete were blessed with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were the light of their lives. Pat always wanted to know how the grandkids were doing. She couldn’t see very good in the end, but she always had a smile for them and giggled when the kids were around.
Patricia is survived by her husband of 56 years, Peter; her son, David (LaRea) Hendricks, Pine Bluffs WY; daughters, Tricia Roth, New England, and Tonya (Cris) Roschewski, Bowman; grandchildren, Dezirae (Josh) Wilkins, Bayard, NE, Cody (Nick) Schaffer, Idaho Falls, ID, Patti (Barrett) Herr, Wishek, Skylar (Kelsie) Schaefer, Bismarck, Jordan Ragsdale, Kimball, NE, Jaden (Nathan) Wolff, Hettinger, Kaden Hendricks, Salt Lake City, UT, Gage Hendricks, Pine Bluffs, WY, Lane Roschewski, Bowman, and Wyatt Hendricks, Pine Bluffs, WY; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters, Jean (Ron) Peterson and Dollyn (Jerry) Johnson, both of Dickinson; brothers-in-law, Marty (Janie) Schaefer, Jim (Rose) Schaefer, Washington, and Mike (Diane) Schaefer, Laramie, WY; sister-in-law, Mary Jane (Dave) Sprague; numerous nieces and nephews; many aunts and uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents; parents-in-law; brothers-in-law, George, Alex and Tony; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.