Patricia Kroulik, 95
Patricia (Berg) Kroulik, 95, passed away peacefully at North Star Manor in Warren, Minn., on Dec. 28, 2022.
Patty was born as the second daughter to Elmer and Irene Berg on March 17, 1927, in her home at Kennedy, Minn. As a St. Patrick’s Day baby, it was natural her name would be Patty. She grew up in Kennedy, where her first job was as a linotype operator at the Kennedy Star newspaper where her father was the editor and through this she had a life long love and respect for the written word. Patricia was baptized at Maria Lutheran Church in Kennedy and remained an active member throughout her life. In her early years at Kennedy, she was active in all music and drama activities, including playing the organ at both Lutheran churches at Kennedy on Sunday mornings.
In the spring of 1945, she enlisted in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps and completed her nursing degree at Mounds Midway Hospital in St. Paul. Throughout her years she shared her musical gifts, often as a wedding singer and as a funeral singer. She occasionally reflected on the difficulty she had singing at funerals of boys who had died during WWII, but she balanced that challenge with the joy she had with being able to share her voice with the brides and grooms in the years to follow. As time went by she shared her musical talents as a piano teacher, often teaching lessons in the basement of our humble home for a dollar a lesson.
Patty had a sincere value for reading, the arts, and education, and made certain her children had the same values. The values of learning, laughter and love endure in her family now and forever.
In the spring of 1947 she was joined in marriage to Theadore Kroulik and together they shared 70 years of marriage. Through good times and hard times on the farm, Patty always focused on the good times. Her attitude about each day and the challenges was always bright and positive, and she always found a way to say something positive about everyone and encouraged her children to do the same. Pat and Ted had four children: Douglas, Ivan, Mark and Melissa. Her love for each was unconditional.
As her children grew older, she was able to return to her life’s career as a nurse and for over 20 years she served as a nurse at Kittson Memorial Hospital, an experience that included being able to be a nurse for the birth of her second grandchild. She absolutely loved being a professional nurse and loved being able to help people in need of comfort and care. During her nursing career, Pat was also leader in the origin of the Kittson County Hospice. After retirement, Pat and Ted enjoyed many years of traveling, often to see their children and grandchildren and also at their winter home in Yuma, Ariz. Together, as always, Pat and Ted spent over 30 winters together in Yuma with friends from throughout the country.
Patricia is survived by: her children, Douglas (Marie), Tavaras, Fla., Ivan (Mary Jane), Kasson, Minn., Mark (Beth), Stephen, Minn., and Melissa (Craig) Augustin, Britt, Minn.; 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Patricia was preceded in death by: her husband, Theadore Kroulik; parents, Elmer and Irene Berg; a sister, Elrene Mullan; and in-laws, Willie and Jenny Kroulik.
A special thanks is directed to all of the workers at the Tamarac Senior Living Center in Stephen, to the staff at the North Star Manor in Warren, and to the Hospice of the Red River Valley for the compassion, friendship, love and care they shared with our mother in the later days of her life.
The family asks that memorials be given to Maria Lutheran Church in Kennedy, Kittson Memorial Hospital, Hospice of the Red River Valley, or Kittson County Hospice.
Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, June 17, 2023, at 11 a.m. in Maria Lutheran Church, Kennedy. Interment will be in the Kennedy City Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to the service. Pastor Kathy Levenhagen, presiding; Patti Swanson, organist; Macyn Lofstrom, soloist; and Stephen Kroulik, guitar prelude. Casket bearers will be Pat’s grandchildren.
Austin Funeral Chapel, Hallock, is in charge of the arrangements. www. austinfuneralchapel.com.
