Patricia Ann (Dreckman) Henrich, 82, recently of Schuyler, VA and formerly of Farmington, MN, and a 50 year resident of Hooper, NE, passed away after a long battle with breast cancer on March 21, 2023.

Pat was born August 2, 1940, in Le Mars, IA, the oldest of nine children, to the late Vincent and Leota Dreckman, formerly of Le Mars, IA. She grew up on the family farm and often told stories of farm life. Her favorite memories were of helping her dad do chores, big family meals that began and ended with prayer, card games and more laughter than the walls of their farmhouse could hold. This is where she learned the core values of hard work, faith, family, love, kindness, helping and serving others, and the healing power of laughter that she carried with her for the rest of her life.

She graduated from Gehlen High School in Le Mars and married Ronald Clare Henrich in 1960, and had 6 children together; Lesa Marie, Kelly Ann, Kimberly Kay, Mark James, Kelleen Marie, and Mathew Vincent before divorcing in 1977.

Pat enjoyed various jobs over the years from child care to Hooper Elementary cook, before settling into working for the local John Deere implement for 37 years. Nothing thrilled her grandchildren more than to visit “Grandma Tractor” at work so they could sit on the latest tractors and get a personal tour through the mechanics shop with all the big farming equipment. Pat retired in June, 2014 and continued creating dog bandanas for the best dressed pets in the Midwest before hanging up her sewing machine in 2020 to enjoy full retirement.

Pat was very active in the Hooper community serving as a member on multiple school boards, and as a member of St. Rose of Lima Church she taught CCD, and was a member and sometimes past president of the Women’s Guild. Her service continued at Akin Road Elementary School in Farmington, MN where she volunteered in the First grade class a few days a week. It was a true gift for her to be able to work with Mrs. Heckmann and her students.

She raised her 4 children with firm yet loving guidance. She spent years by their side instilling her strong, no-nonsense work ethic with early morning newspaper deliveries and walking beans, and the afternoons and evenings were filled with mowing lawns. Summers she enjoyed planting her “weeds” which were bountiful, beautiful flowers, and tending her vegetable garden. Canning followed the harvest each fall. Jelly making was another favorite event after picking her loved raspberries or a good shake of the Mulberry tree.

Nothing gave her more pleasure than being there for her family and friends. She loved visiting all her children and spoiling her grandchildren. She enjoyed playing cards and was so skilled, her children insisted she must be a cheater. She gathered with her siblings annually and when you asked what they did, the answer was always simply one word… laugh. She touched so many with acts of kindness large and small. Many teachers, bus drivers and school administrators were the benefactors of her famous holiday power baking. She was famous for making sloppy joes, ham sandwiches or “donut doodles” to ensure certain family members felt spoiled. We loved when she would sit in the auditorium at a music performance, or in the stands at a sporting event for her kids and grandkids calling “Wahoo!” Most famous were the family 4th of July celebrations in her backyard, and no family gathering would be complete without her famous macaroni salad and the countless rides on the bag swing. After moving to Virginia, her favorite activities included sitting on the porch watching the hummingbirds and other various birds and butterflies or sitting near the chicken coop admiring Crystal’s flowers and watching Matt’s chickens.

Pat had an uncanny ability to call, send a note, or show up on a doorstep in a time of need armed with a gift of friendship, words of wisdom, a special gift, or a tasty dish. Her kindness, love, loyalty, wisdom, strength, sense of humor, and ability to make lemonade when life was handing out lemons were an inspiration to those she loved and many others.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, her daughters, Lesa, and Kelly; siblings Ronnie (Sheila) Dreckman, Debbie Gergan, Timothy Dreckman, and Michael Dreckman; Brother-in-law, Bill Hogan, and her former father-in-law and mother-in-law, Alvin (Duke) and Madeline Henrich. Her sister, Faye Hogan, passed away three weeks following Pat’s death.

Pat is survived by her former husband, Ron Henrich, of Greenfield, MO, their children, Kim (William) Donohue of McCormick, SC, Mark (Lindsey Gadberry) Henrich and his former wife Carol Henrich of Papillion, NE, Kelley Smith of Raleigh, NC and her former husband Coke Smith of Wallace, NC, and Matthew (Crystal Toll) Henrich; her 7 grandchildren: Vincent Donohue of Arlington, VA, Michael Donohue of Tempe, AZ, Matthew Henrich, Jacob Henrich, and Aubrey Henrich of Papillion, NE, Zachary (Megan) Smith of Ikego, Japan, and Elyse (Jared) Griffin of Raleigh, NC; her 2 great grandchildren, Madeline and Freya Smith of Ikego, Japan; her siblings: Vicki (Dave) Hentges of Venice, FL, Theodore (Linda) Dreckman of Le Mars, IA, and Ann (Ed) Reising Sioux City, IA; her sisters-in-law Barb Neiman of Le Mars, IA and Mary Kay Dreckman of Le Mars, IA, many nieces and nephews and her fiercely loving and loyal dog, Ziggy.

A celebration of life will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Prairie's Edge Humane Society

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