[ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

LUDEKE, Patricia Ann "Pat" (HANLEY)

HANLEY, LUDEKE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/28/2018 at 19:51:40

Obituary ~ Patricia Ann "Pat" (Hanley) Ludeke
August 20, 1932 ~ April 13, 2018

Clear Lake Mirror Reporter
Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Patricia Ann (Hanley) Ludeke, Cathedral City, Calif., formerly of Clear Lake, passed away quietly, peacefully in her sleep at home in her bed during the early morning hours of Friday, April 13.

Patricia, “Patty”, to her friends and relatives, a native Clear Laker, was born Aug. 20, 1932, to Rich and Vivian Hanley. She has two younger brothers, Richard in San Jose, Calif. and Michael, in San Diego, Calif. She is preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Ludeke; and her daughter, Mari K. Ludeke. She is survived by sons, Ralph David and Richard Dorance, in Archer, Iowa, Morgan Claire, in St Cloud, Minn. and Shawn Stanley Ludeke, in New Brighton, Minn. She is blessed with four granddaughters, one grandson, five great-grandchildren and one soon to be great-great-grandchild, many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Although a “town” girl, Patricia, with husband, Stanley, and five children lived on a cattle/pig farm south of Clear Lake. In 1966, the family moved to a 300 acre dairy farm in central Minnesota where they milked 32 cows twice a day.

Patricia also took an “extra” job at the Home School in Sauk Centre, Minn., which was a state correctional facility. She worked there and on the farm for 18 years. Taking early retirement, Patricia then moved to Redlands, Calif. with her mother, Vivian, whom she cared for while working as a Correctional Officer at the San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall for another 12 years. Upon retiring for the second time, a total of 30 years as a Juvenile Corrections Officer, she was presented with her gold shield.

A long time computer user since the 1980’s, she then moved to Venice Beach, Calif. for the next five years where she discovered photography, scanning documents and genealogy. She was a familiar figure on the Venice Boardwalk as she could be found metal detecting on a daily basis finding coins, rings, keys and bottle caps, enough to pay for her detector. From there she spent a year in Yuma, Az. to be near Richard Dorance’s family. She then returned to Clear Lake for seven years to help care for her aunt, Betty Thurtle. During this time in Clear Lake she photographed four county cemeteries for over 6,000 headstones. She also scanned and cataloged over 2,500 images and clippings in conjunction with the Historical Society. Private collections were also scanned for more than 8,000 items, again all cataloged and on DVD available at the library. A further contribution to the library can be seen in the form of a statue of a small child sitting cross-legged and reading a book with fireflies for lights in the children’s department.

With the passing of her aunt, Patricia returned to Los Angeles for a year before settling in Cathedral City, Calif. in the Date Palm Country Club, a 500 home 55+ community wrapped around a small nine hole golf course. For the past six years she could be found riding around the course on her four-wheel scooter, playing bingo and making the occasional foray to the local casino. She also continued her genealogy work transcribing newspaper obituaries to digital form and submitting them to various genealogy sites.

Patricia was a member of the UCLA Willed/Donor body program where she will further her giving by furnishing instructional aid. She will then be bio-cremated and her ashes will be scattered at sea during a UCLA “celebration”. She wished for no services or ceremonies just to be remembered in the hearts of friends and relatives. In lieu of cards or flowers, just give a few dollars to the Friends of the Library in Clear Lake and or the Clear Lake Historical Society would be appreciated as this would be a way she could continue to keep on giving.

[Transcriber's note: Many of Cerro Gordo County's gravestone photographs on IAGenWeb's Gravestone Photograph Project were taken by Pat, who generously shared with us. She also tirelessly transcribed thousands of obituaries for us. Truly, Pat was a dear friend who was loyal to Cerro Gordo County. We shall sadly miss her as she begins a new chapter and a glorious new journey.]

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2018


 

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen

[ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]