Patricia Jean Lenke, 99, formerly of Warsaw, passed away peacefully on Nov. 7, 2024, in Sarasota, Fla.
She was born in Indianapolis on March 17, 1925, to Chester C. Cooley and Deborah M. Shultz Cooley.
Having recently returned from his service in World War II, Pat met George H. Lenke Jr. on a blind date New Year's Eve. She married this handsome pilot on Sept. 20, 1947, in Elmhurst, Ill.
In 1957, the Lenke family moved from Elmhurst after Pat’s family company, Da-Lite Screen, was relocated to Warsaw, Ind. Here she raised her three daughters: Barbara, Sandra and Nancy. Pat enjoyed an active social life, was involved in community affairs and made many lifelong friends. She spent over 50 wonderful years in her beloved Warsaw and Lake Tippecanoe homes before becoming a snowbird and wintering in Bird Key, Sarasota, Fla.
In 2012, Pat moved from her home in Bird Key into an apartment in Plymouth Harbor, Sarasota, Fla., to be close to her husband. She was especially found of spending Friday nights at dinner with “her girls,” who called her “the mother of the table.”
She loved celebrating her St. Patrick’s day birthday; she was always dressed in green and accessorized with her signature shamrocks. As a child growing up in the Chicago area, she was certain the city dyed the Chicago River in honor of her birthday. Pat was a worldwide traveler, delighting her daughters with the suitcases filled with souvenirs from her trips. She loved spending winters in Maui, Hawaii, and many photos show Pat and her best friend, Lois, floating in the ocean for hours, holding hands and talking nonstop.
For those who have known her over the years, all would agree that there never was a more kind, thoughtful or generous person than Pat. If you had a birthday, she went you a card or flowers; if you were anywhere in the world where bad weather might be occurring, you knew she was worried for you; if you were sick, she sent a card and advice on how to feel better. (The USPC occasionally sent her thank-you notes for purchasing so many stamps over her lifetime.) Though the arthritis in her hands were painful, it never stopped her from writing to friends. For Pat, it was always more fun to give than to receive.
Maya Angelou wrote: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This was one of Pat’s favorite quotes and she certainly personified this sentiment during her lifetime.
Pat spent 65 years with her husband, George, who passed away in 2013. She is survived by three daughters: Barbara Gmitter, Lakewood Ranch, Fla.; Sandra (Don) Brickel, Franklin, Tenn.; and Nancy (Norman) Johnson, Pittsburgh, Pa.; six grandchildren: (Sean) McConnell, Wilmington, Del.; Shannon (Patrick) Hawkins, Georgetown, Ky.; Adam Brickel and Samantha Brickel, Franklin, Tenn; Holly Johnson, Bradenton, Fla.; and Erica Johnson, Winston-Salem, N.C.; three great-grandchildren: Mallory McConnell, Wilmington, Del.; Elizabeth (Thomas) Hazlett, Georgetown, Ky.; Christian Hawkins, Georgetown, Ky.; and one great-great-grandchild, Cassandra Hazlett, Georgetown, Ky. We will miss this loving and wonderful lady.
Pat was a faithful Christian and was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Warsaw, and Concordia Lutheran Church, Sarasota, Fla.
A celebration of life will be held on Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon at Toale Brothers Funeral Home, 40 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Just Peachey, 13839 Royal Saddle Drive, Carmel, IN 46032, a charity that supports breast cancer research; or Concordia Lutheran Church, 2185 Wood St., Sarasota, FL 34237.