Patricia Ericksen

Patricia Ericksen, née Klontz, was born on April 4, 1933, in Salem, South Dakota. She passed away peacefully on June 14, 2026, at the Christian Village of Mason, Ohio.

Pat spent her early years in South Dakota before moving to Ottumwa, Iowa. During her high school years, she helped her mother, Florence, run the restaurant at Ottumwa's Community Golf Course, where her father, Herbert, worked as a Greenskeeper. Living on the golf course instilled a lifelong love of golf, whether it be playing or watching it on TV. She also enjoyed spending time at the local movie theater, a pastime she remembered fondly.

Patricia joined the U.S. Army on June 1, 1951, the day after graduating from Ottumwa High School, and proudly served for two years. During her service, she received medical laboratory training, which she continued at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Pat went on to work as a medical laboratory technician for both Mercy Hospital and Borden Ice Cream in Cedar Rapids.

During those years, Pat also learned to fly a Piper Cub airplane. In one memorable adventure, she took her sister Blanche up for a ride and was forced to make an emergency landing in a cornfield. Blanche liked to joke afterward that she had taken two flights with Pat, a first and a last.

Pat loved dancing at Armar Dance Hall in Cedar Rapids, where she met Nick Ericksen. She married Paul Nickolas "Nick" Ericksen of Harlan, Iowa, on July 2, 1960, at the Little Brown Church in the Vale in Nashua, Iowa. True to her distinctive sense of style, Pat chose a white shirtwaist swing dress with purple polka dots rather than a traditional bridal gown, a reflection of her individuality and charm. This year would have marked 66 years of marriage, a lasting testament to their devotion and a beautiful example of unconditional love that continues to inspire all who knew them, especially their family and friends.

Pat’s husbands’ career in Electrical Engineering took the family from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Tucson, Arizona, and finally to Cincinnati, Ohio.

After their wedding, Pat built a successful career in real estate, working for 30 years as a self-employed agent. Much of her career was spent with Clete McDaniels Real Estate and Coldwell Banker. Above all, Pat was devoted to her family and took great pride in raising her three children, Brian, Kurt, and Julie

Pat embraced life with enthusiasm and joy. She loved traveling and cruising to new destinations, always making sure to try her luck at the casino, especially on her favorite slot machine. Above all, she cherished time spent with family, particularly her beloved grandchildren. She encouraged each of them to be confident in their individuality and to embrace what made them unique, except, perhaps, when it came time for Grandma to dress her granddaughters in matching cheetah-print coats just like her own. Those moments perfectly reflected Pat’s playful spirit, sense of fun, and deep affection for her family.

She treasured gatherings with friends and expressed her love through cooking, creating family favorites such as lasagna, raisin rice pudding, Mrs. Fields-style oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, bean and bacon soup, Texas sheet cake, and chocolate pie.

Known for her signature Manhattan, Pat’s spirited nature once led to the memorable sight of her enjoying a birthday candle alongside her birthday cake at one of her favorite restaurants, The Grand Finale. In the midst of cake and celebration, she unknowingly ate the birthday candle along with her dessert, a moment that has been lovingly retold ever since. It serves as a reminder that one small misstep at a birthday table can earn you a permanent place in family storytelling.

Pat also enjoyed dancing, golfing, sewing, and reading, and she was rarely without a good book close at hand. In the early afternoons, visitors often found her relaxing with an episode of The Young and the Restless or enjoying whatever game show was on at the time.

After Pat and Nick retired, they spent many winters as Snowbirds at Pelican Landing Sawgrass in Bonita Springs, Florida.

Patricia is survived by her loving husband, Nick Ericksen; son and DIL Brian (Jennifer)

Ericksen, Son and DIL Kurt (Tiffany) Ericksen, Daughter and SIL Julie (John) Fisher. Granddaughters Lauren Ericksen, Bryn and Avery Ericksen, Kelli (Fisher)(Tim) Mason and Jessica Fisher, and Grandson Brock Ericksen. She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Florence (Sandstrom) Klontz; her brother and sister-in-law, Herbert (Karen) Klontz; and her sister and brother-in-law, Blanche (Bill) McVey. She was also preceded in death by many dear friends yet remained closely connected to a cherished circle from her years in real estate and her time in the Pelican Landing Sawgrass snowbird community.

Patricia Ericksen’s passing at The Christian Village of Mason marks the close of a life lived with purpose, strength, and an unmistakable spirit. She is remembered with deep love and respect, and her legacy lives on in the kindness she showed, the resilience she carried through every season of life, and the laughter, warmth, and memories she leaves with her family and friends.

May her memory be a blessing to all who knew her. A memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family. The family requests memorial donations please be made to The Christian Village of Mason.