Patricia Ann Larson Witzel, 84
Patricia Ann Larson Witzel, 84, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and a dear friend to many, passed away on Jan. 6, 2019, in Kalispell after a brief illness.
Patricia was born Dec. 12, 1934, in Lewistown to Henry G. and Pearl (Duncan) Larson — the first of seven children. She grew up in the Pleasant Valley community near Windham, Montana, where her family farmed. Patricia attended Windham Public School, graduated Stanford High School and attended Rocky Mountain College in Billings where she worked as a bookkeeper for GMC Agencies before and during college.
Patricia met her future husband, Theodore “Ted” Witzel, while in college and they were married in Billings on Aug. 28, 1954. They had two daughters, Debra Ann, born in Bozeman, and Sally Jo, born in Ronan.
Patricia “Pat” or “Trish” and her family lived in Bozeman, Ronan, Whitefish, Somers and briefly in Seattle before spending 31 years traveling with her husband between their Montana home and their Lake Havasu, Arizona, home where they wintered.
Pat enjoyed cooking, entertaining, golfing and boating. Pat belonged to the Moose Lodge in Kalispell and was a Lioness and member of Lion’s Club International in Kalispell. Pat loved to travel and visited many countries including Canada, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, Costa Rica, Mexico, Norway and cruised the Panama Canal!
Pat loved her family and its history and she spent many hours researching both the Scottish and Norwegian sides of the family tree, as well as attending several family reunions held for the Larson/Paulgaard family in both Canada and Norway.
Left to mourn her loss are her husband, Theodore “Ted,” of Kalispell; daughters, Debra Ann D’Arcy of Casper, Wyoming, and Sally Jo Witzel of Kelowna, British Columbia; Pat’s siblings, Margaret (Jack) Roan of Billings, Carmen (Allen) Mers of Florida, Lars Larson of Nevada, and Jimmy (Karen) Larson of Hysham; sister-in-law, Violet (Clarence) Krum, of Billings; brothers-in-law, Dan (Phyllis) Witzel of Billings, Jack Witzel of Ballantine, and Lloyd (Mary) Witzel of Washington; three grandchildren, Tiege (Becky) Gates of Nevada, Christopher D’Arcy of Wyoming, and Kelsey (Mary Ellen) D’Arcy of Billings; six great-grandchildren and many loving nieces, nephews and good friends.
Pat was preceded in death by her parents, sister Joan Steiger, and brother Ted Larson.
Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Avenue, Billings, MT 59102. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan.16, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, with refreshments immediately following the service.
Interment will be at Pleasant View Cemetery in Ballantine.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in Pat’s honor or a charity of your choice.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary are caring for the family. Friends are encouraged to visit the website www.buffalohillfh.com and www.michelottisawyers.com to leave notes of condolence for the family.