Patricia Mary Clarey 1927 - 2020

CLAREY, MCCORKELL, GRAHAM

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/13/2020 at 12:52:38

Sioux City Journal
11 October 2020

Patricia M. Graham

Sioux City

Patricia M. Graham, 93, of Sioux City, died peacefully in her sleep with her rosary in her hands at a local care facility on Oct. 7, 2020.

Visitation will begin 9 a.m. Tuesday, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m., at the Church of the Nativity, with the Rev. Daniel Rupp officiating. Masks are required and social distancing is encouraged. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel. Online condolences may be made to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Patricia Mary Clarey was born on Jan. 15, 1927, at rural Merrill, Iowa, to John Francis and Esther Imogene (McCorkell) Clarey. She graduated from Liberty Consolidated High School in 1944, and was married to Dwight F. Graham at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ellendale, Iowa on Feb. 7, 1945. For several years they lived on a farm near Merrill and in 1951, they moved to Sioux City, where Patricia spent the rest of her long life. She was a "homemaker" in the truest sense of the word.

Dwight and Patricia were original members of Nativity Parish, and Patricia was very active in the Guild, Confraternity of Christian Mothers, Catholic Daughters of America and the Carmel Guild. She was also a long-time member of the Cross-Towners Card Club.

Those left to cherish her memory are her four children, Linda and Roy Linn, Dale and Barbara Graham, Fred Graham and Jody Lorence. She was the proud grandmother of 11, Katie (Neil) Slater, Amanda (Bill) Seuntjens, Laura (Jake) Collins, Kellie Graham, Kimberly (Tony) Ranallo, Jennifer (Mike) Eck, Erich (Ashley) Olson, Travis (Karen) Olson, Brianna (Tim) Berquam, Marissa (Nick) Woster, and Zachary Fuller. Thirteen great-grandchildren were the highlight of her later years, Kaylinn, Sydney, and Carson Seuntjens, Brenna and Blake Collins, A. J., Peyton, and Frankie Ranallo, Izzy and Caleb Eck, Devon and Connor Olson, and Lincoln Fuller; and honorary great-granddaughter, Abigail Slater.

She is also survived by two sisters, Ann DeRocher of Le Mars, Iowa, and Lucy Sitzmann of Kingsley, Iowa; two sisters-in-law, Carol Clarey of Le Mars and Jean Clarey of Petaluma, Calif.; two brothers-in-law, Philip Vondrak of Sioux City, and Dennis Beck of Columbus, Neb.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Patricia was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Dwight in 2003; two sisters, Lucille Beck and Donna Vondrak; six brothers, John F. Jr. (Jack) , George Frederick who died at age one, Paul Alfred, Richard, Ray, and Daniel, who died shortly after birth; sisters-in-law, Mary Clarey, Nadine Clarey, Shirley Clarey and Helen Clarey; brothers-in-law, Leo DeRocher and Emmett Sitzmann; a niece; and five nephews.

Memorials may be directed to the Carmelite Monastery or Siouxland Right to Life in Patricia's memory.