December 18, 1934 - January 20, 2025
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona. Burial will be held in East Lawn Cemetery in Algona. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, at the church. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.
Patricia Ann Gronbach was born Dec. 18, 1934, in West Bend, the fourth daughter of Thomas and Mathilda (Baas) Ketelsen. Born and raised in West Bend, Pat graduated from West Bend High School in 1952. She remained in close contact with many of her classmates and valued those lifelong friendships. After high school graduation she went on to work briefly at the PMA Office, Kossuth County Assessor’s Office and Security State Bank.
On Dec. 21, 1954, she was united in marriage to Robert Gronbach at Peace Lutheran Church in West Bend. They met at the Plantation at a dance shortly after Bob had returned from the Korean War. After their marriage, Bob and Pat rented farmland and raised livestock. They set up their home at a farm east of Livermore where Pat fed the masses and tended to the children that they would go on to have, she helped on the farm, gardened and canned. She truly delighted in simple pleasures, something that she carried with her the duration of her life. A good meal, a card in the mail, a small treat, a visit or a phone call from a friend or family member, all those things were important to Pat. It wasn’t hard to make her happy. The number of friends and visitors that she had made it clear that she was easy to love.
She worked in Algona at Coast to Coast and A&W as the kids grew older and loved watching their activities. Pat and Bob farmed in the Livermore area until 1981, when they moved into Livermore and purchased a consignment store called the Trad’In Post. They owned and operated the store until 1996. The whole family joined in on the fun at the store and often fondly tell stories of those days. It was a paradise for her grandchildren.
Pat had a true passion for cooking, and her homemade meals—especially her famous beef and pork roast with her homemade gravy—were a delight to all who gathered around her table. She was a master of goulash and the best baker of apple cakes. She always told us that cooking was an act of love. She loved us immensely, if that was the case. She also enjoyed gardening, beautiful trees and flowers and watching the birds.
A woman of faith, Pat was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona, where she contributed to the church community. She had also been the church organist in West Bend, Lu Verne and Livermore churches at different times. She enjoyed playing cards in her card club and was a past member of the Auxiliary and Ladies Aid.
Pat died Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Good Samaritan Society in Algona. She was 90. She had been missing Bob for just over 20 years. She had good relationships with her sisters and missed them as well. Their reunion must be grand.
A few years after Bob’s passing, her Christmas present to her family was a book of memories that she wrote with the help of one of her daughters. The last paragraph of that book tells you everything you need to know. Pat wrote “I’ve had a good life. You must always remember that you don’t have to have money to be rich. There are many things more important than money. What good is it if we gain the whole world and lose our soul! Choose to be happy! God loves you and so do I.”
She will be missed. Her kind heart and unconditional love was a treasure.
She is survived by her children, Pam (Jim) Haag of West Bend, Paul (Liz) Gronbach of Algona, Janine Gronbach of Bode, Julie (Nolan) Patterson of Stratford, Angie (Justin Besch) Gronbach of Algona; grandchildren, Amber (Mike) Reiter, Allison (Brett) Collins, Luke (Misty) Haag, Amanda (Jason) Cox, Alex (Kayla Bell) Gronbach, Isaac Patterson, Heath Patterson; great-grandchildren, Mason Reiter, Hank Reiter, Charlie Reiter, Lola Wolf, Jonathan Hauptman, Dawson Hauptman, Ryah Haag, Bella Haag, Emma Morris, Ella Gronbach; and many nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death are her parents; husband, Robert; sisters, Elaine Kinseth, Betty Elbert, Bonnie Bell, Kathy Bovy; and nephews, Philip Elbert and Chuck Bell.
Online condolences may be made to oakcrestfuneralservices.com.