Patricia Ann (Strine) Ikeler

Beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Aunt and friend passed away at home on August 24th.

It’s hard these days to find a person who never says anything bad about anyone, makes so many friends wherever she goes and with whomever she meets, and says everyday “we are blessed”. This was Pat Ikeler and all who knew Pat loved her.

Pat was born just after the Stock Market crash in 1929. She was raised in a small town (Milton, PA) in upstate Pennsylvania. While times were tough, family, friends and neighbors shared a close bound and it helped her, and her brother Dick and sister Dotty to develop an eternal sense of optimism which they in turn instilled in their children.

Pat always lived on the sunny side of the street. Growing up she said her big Saturday night out was going with friends for ice cream, or a hamburger at the Greasy Spoon, and while walking home taking time to say hello, talk and share stories with families in the town gathered on their front porches, a simple life we all would love to have.

Pat was all about her family, which she was so very proud of. Her 3 children Steve (Cindy), Tom (Susan) and Rob (Joanne), 7 grandchildren (Andy, Kent, Will, Katie, Matt, Alexa, and Devon), 6 great grandchildren, nieces and nephews were blessed to have such a special person in their lives. She was every wonderful TV mom of the 60s and 70s rolled up into one. She took great pride in saying that she was a Homemaker, Mom and Wife. She enjoyed cooking for her family. Every meal she served was always wonderful and thoughtfully prepared, plus a homemade dessert. Her boys’ friends were always asking if they could stay for dinner.

Pat had an abundance of energy well into her early 90s. She was always volunteering and entertaining large gatherings of friends, family and various clubs and organizations that she was a part of, accumulating countless friends along the way, and putting her love and energy into everything she did. Pat served as President of the Devon Auxiliary Chester County Hospital, President of the Upper Saint Claire, PA Newcomers Club, Volunteer for the Salvation Army (Pittsburgh, PA), The Chester County Chapter of P.E.O. Sisterhood (Philanthropic Educational Organization), and countless hours directing numerous fundraising events for the Lima Methodist Church. She loved travelling, antiquing, needlework (knitting and embroidery) and immensely enjoyed stenciling borders on the walls throughout her home and those of family and friends.

Her path after graduating from West Chester State Teachers College (West University) lead her into teaching. After graduation, she became an Elementary School Teacher for a brief time, but raising a family took precedence. When her children were older she began teaching at Lima Christian Nursery School where she was a fixture for over 25 years. Her eyes always lit up around little ones.

Pat loved the holidays and meticulously decorating her home in a Williamsburg style that could have been posed for a magazine cover. At Christmas time she would have the ping pong table completely covered with the multitude of cards she was sending, so many cards you couldn’t count, and she took time to hand write a special note to each friend and family. Needless to say, her home was overwhelmed with greetings from those in return.

Pat and her husband Ike (Harold E Ikeler Jr) were high school sweethearts. Ike always claimed that they met while their mothers were changing their diapers at church. Never much of a gambler, but to his good fortune, Ike hit the lottery with Pat who doted over him and her boys. It’s been questioned whether Ike ever took a dish to the sink or knew what a sink was other than to get a glass of water. She was a dream partner for just short of 74 years of marriage before Ike passed away in June. Though she suffered from memory issues for the last several years, it was obvious that she felt his loss and Pat joined him shortly thereafter. Together again and hopefully resting upon one of the beautiful clouds that she always was fascinated by and loved to look at.

Pat will be interned with Ike at Arlington National Cemetery at a time to be determined.