Patricia J. Neff

Patricia Jean Neff, age 73, of Mankato, died Friday, September 6, 2019.

Funeral Service 11 a.m., Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, North Mankato.  Visitation will be from 9:30-11 a.m., Wednesday at church.  Interment in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis.  Mankato Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Patricia Jean Neff was born to the Rev. Dr. Ellis and Virginia (Winterstein) Nieting on March 26, 1946 in Mitchell, South Dakota. She was raised in Chamberlain, South Dakota and then at age nine her family moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In the spring of 1962, she moved with her family to Fort Dodge, Iowa where she completed her education at Fort Dodge Senior High and graduated with the class of 1964. She then continued her education at Concordia College in St. Paul, Minnesota for a short time. She returned to Fort Dodge and attended Fort Dodge Community College and received her diploma of Executive Secretary in 1967. She became employed at the Fort Dodge Messenger. She married Dennis Neff on June 14, 1968 in Hawaii, while Dennis was on leave from Vietnam. When Dennis returned from Vietnam, they moved to New York. After Dennis was discharged from the service, they returned to Fort Dodge. In 1972 they moved to Mankato, Minnesota where Pat raised their four beautiful children. During this time, she also worked for Midwest Coaches, Mankato Land to Air, and Odyssey Gifts.  On August 13, Pat entered Mayo Hospice in Mankato where she died on September 6, at the age of 73 years.

Pat was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Mankato. She enjoyed volunteering at the church and the church’s school. She was an incredible seamstress and sewed many pieces of clothing. She enjoyed knitting and made several blankets for her family.

Pat is lovingly remembered by her husband, Dennis Neff of Mankato, Minnesota; her four children, Laura (Tom) Wood of New Prague, Minnesota, Deb (Jon) Grams of Balsam Lake, Wisconsin,  Dan (Vicky) Neff of Plymouth, Minnesota, and Megan (Paul) Lewis of Eagan, Minnesota; 10 grandchildren, with the 11^th on the way; two sisters, Sharon Schreier of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Cindy (Randy) Hartquist of Pipestone, Minnesota; two brothers, Jim (Kathy) Nieting of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Tom (Faith) Nieting of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.