Elizabeth Patricia 'Patty' Winblad, 86

Elizabeth Patricia "Patty" Winblad was born March 17, 1926, in Red Wing, Minn. She passed away on Feb. 17, 2013, at the age of 86, in the loving care of the staff at the Lodge on Summit Oaks and the embrace of her family. Patty bravely battled the effects of Lewy body dementia during the past 6 years. It was a precious gift that she still knew every member of her family until death.

Her husband, Wilbur "Soup" Winblad, preceded her in death on Oct. 18, 2009. She missed him greatly during the past 3 years and 4 months, but her faith gave her great comfort, and she looked forward to seeing her "Soup" again.

Patty was the youngest of eight children born to Adolph and Elizabeth (Risse) Stark. She spent her childhood and young adulthood in Red Wing.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Lawrence (Hazel), Fritz, and Henry "Bud" (Mert), and sisters Cecelia (Rod) and Dorothy (Ed).

Patty graduated from Red Wing High School in 1944. She studied nursing at St. John's Hospital in Red Wing and received her registered nursing degree in 1947. Patty was a member of the United States Cadet Nursing Corps during WWII, which qualified her to serve in local hospitals should more senior nurses be called to serve at the front lines. In 1948, she did post-graduate work in obstetrical nursing at the University of Chicago Lying-In Hospital. After the war, she met her future husband, Soup Winblad, who played college ball with her brother Bob. They were married on Dec. 27, 1949, and together had six children that were the center of her world. Patty worked at home for many years but returned to professional life in 1967 at Sanford Memorial Hospital in Farmington, Minn. Patty started work in the emergency room and went on to become head nurse of the obstetrics department. There, she implemented the family-centered maternity nursing concept and taught expectant parent classes, helping more than 300 couples through the labor and delivery process. She was also on the advisory board at the Dakota County Vocational School and helped improve its licensed practical nursing program.

Patty is survived by her six children, Ann Winblad, Mary (Jim) Regenscheid, Susan (Denny) Shields, David (Diane) Winblad, Patty (Brett) Jorgensen, and Kathy Winblad-Polk; five grandchildren, Jamie (Jonathan) Bruemmer, Christopher (Alyssa) Shields, Nathan (Heather) Winblad, Bryce (Katie) Winblad, and Jarvas Polk; three great-grandchildren, Jacob and Joie Bruemmer and Anthony Winblad. She is also survived by siblings Bertha Santelman (Clarence) of Red Wing and Robert Stark (Mary Ann) of Caledonia, Minn., and many nieces and nephews.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 4030 Pilot Knob Rd., Eagan, Minn., with a visitation 1 hour prior to Mass at Church. Interment, Ft. Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials will be donated to Patty's favorite charities.

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