Patricia "Pat" Campbell

Patricia (Pat) Mary Leslie (Yeates) Campbell was a woman of strength and faith.

She was born in England on March 31, 1928. At the age of ten, Mom had to leave school due to the start of World War II. She was part of the exodus of children from London prior to the Blitzkreig.

Mom’s family home in London was bombed during the Blitz. Her family’s Wedgewood Biscuit Barrel (cookie jar) was the only object to remain intact after the bombing.

She met our dad, John, an American GI, at age 15 at their family pub.

Mom then immigrated, at age 19, from England to Fargo, ND to marry John. After converting to Catholicism, she and John married and started their family. During the next eight and ½ years, she had seven children. Nine years later their eighth child, Kristine, was born.

Pat, John, and Kris moved to Hastings MN from Rapid City, SD in approximately 1980.

Our mom was a spunky, active, and outgoing woman who taught us many life lessons. She loved gardening, reading, flower arranging, woodworking, bowling, volunteering at church and the Hastings Senior Center. She loved baking farmer buns and pies, and rockhunting (leaving hundreds of pounds of geodes and agates to distribute-“Rock On Mom!”). She taught us how to properly iron a shirt, waltz and polka, change storm windows, play pinochle, cribbage, and Yahtzee, speak proper English (never end a sentence with a dangling participle!) She also taught us a kid’s game called “Squeak, Piggy, Squeak”, as well as her famous “high kick”. She set goals and achieved them (even getting her GED at age 60).

Lastly, we learned how to make a perfect “cuppa” tea, which was great for warming us after a cold walk home from school, for a kick start in the morning, really anytime food was on the table, and to calm your nerves after dealing with kids’ broken bones or even a son’s death.

She is survived by her children-Mike Campbell, Lesley Petrovic, Cindy Bittner, Theresa (Chris Lippert) Campbell, Kathleen (Ken Maekawa) Sailer, Julie (Ron “Willie”) Wilhelm, Kristine (John) Priester; Grandchildren-Adam (Jen) Petrovic, Jackie (Ken) Smith, Amy (Phil Johnson) Petrovic, April Bittner Slovensky, Micah (Amiee Holzrichter) Bittner, Noah Bittner, Jon Aaron Campbell, Tessa (Brice) Grutsch, Zach (Kara) Lippert, Kate (Tyler) McEntee, Isaiah (Jamie) Sailer, Jessica Sailer, Nathan (Nova) Wilhelm, Autumn Wilhelm, Andrew Wilhelm, Toby (Nikita) Wilhelm, Rachel Priester; 25 Great-grandchildren and her sister Janice (Ben) Doerge.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents (Sydney and Mary Yeates), husband John and son Tom.

Our mom’s love has blessed us with a legacy of faith, strength, and courage.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am CST Friday, November 11 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Hastings, with visitation beginning at 9:00 am CST at the church. Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel is assisting the family. Interment will be in the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Cemetery. Live-streaming of the service will begin at 10:30am CST on Friday through the Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel website. www.hastingsmnfuneral.com