Mary Patricia Liljestrom
October 8, 2015Share using:
Mary Patricia “Pat” Liljestrom, went to rest in God’s loving arms on Thursday, October 8, 2015. Private family services will be held at Leonard Funeral Home.
Pat was born on July 17, 1917 in San Francisco, California. She was the daughter of John J. and Honor F. (Gallagher) Driscoll. She was the oldest and last surviving child of six children. Pat saw many changes in this world in her 98 years.
She survived the great depression and was determined her children would never have to go through tough times like that. Pat raised her two daughters to be very proper ladies and her son to be a gentleman. She was the epitome of a lady herself.
Pat graduated from Hollywood High School in 1936 and went on to self-educate herself through her love of reading, numbers, antiques, animals, gardening and archeology. She always had a book in her hand and read late into the night. Pat had a special love for gardening, in particular her roses. She knew the name of every one and tended them with love.
Patricia married William Preston Liljestrom on December 30, 1950 after a whirlwind courtship. Their friends bet that their marriage would only last six months. Pat and Bill celebrated 58 wonderful years of married life before Bill passed away.
She worked in accounting all her life and had many interesting positions in that field. Pat acquired many antiques that she dearly loved while keeping the books for various antique stores. In St. Louis, while working at an aviation company, some of her figures were used in a program that went to NASA. Pat was very proud of that. She also served on the Engineering Board for the University of Notre Dame along with her husband, Bill who was a 1944 graduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering.
Pat was 100% Irish and extremely proud of her heritage. Her proudest achievement, however, was her family. Pat loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with a very loving and giving heart. They were all her absolute pride and joy in life.
Surviving are her daughters: Patti Lia Liljestrom, of Eugene, Oregon and Karen Louise Liljestrom of Maquoketa, Iowa. Also her grandchildren: Linda Jean (Kenny) McCutcheon of Greenwood, AR, Lorraine Gaither of Pocola, OK, Patti Lia Brown of Paris, France, Lisa Joslyn(Frank) Miller of Cameron, OK, David John Nebel Jr. of Dubuque, IA, William Michael (Lauren) Brown of Lebanon, OR, Julie Ann (Travis) McDermott of Dubuque, IA and Karen Elizabeth (Ryk) Vandepol of Portland, OR. Pat has 15 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill and her son Larry Liljestrom, her parents and her two brothers and three sisters.
The family would like to sincerely thank the staff on the third floor of Stonehill for their tender care and compassion that they showed Pat in her final days here on this earth. Also for the sensitive support that they gave to Pat’s family members.
