Patricia Marie Hetzel passed away peacefully Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022 near her home in Tucson, Arizona.
Pat, as she was known, was born on Aug. 18, 1930 on a farm in rural Burlington, to Alvin and Jessie Vos. She graduated from Burlington High School. After graduation, she continued her education at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago. She graduated with her Nursing Degree in 1952.
She married Frank (Bob) Hetzel, a career Navy man on Nov. 16 of that same year. Following her marriage, she spent the next 16 years traveling to different duty stations with Bob and raising their five children. After Bob retired from the Navy, their family settled down in Burlington where she continued to raise their kids and helped Bob run and manage a coin-operated laundromat and dry cleaning business.
Once the younger kids were old enough, Pat was able to utilize her nursing degree and began to work as a nurse at Burlington Memorial Hospital. In 1984 Pat and Bob moved from Burlington to Tucson, Arizona to semi-retire, although Pat continued to work full-time as a nurse until her full retirement in 1992. Pat enjoyed golf and was an avid reader and bridge player. She was also known for crocheting afghans and donating them to her church.
Pat is survived by her five children, Katherine Hetzel, Kim Hetzel, Kristy (Paul) Morrison, Karl (Lori) Hetzel and Karla Hetzel; eight grandchildren, Eric Golas, Jacob Hetzel, Logan, Connor, Nadya, and Delaney Hetzel, and Jesse and Kelly Morrison; and great grandchild Cash Morrison. She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Bob; her parents, and her brothers Bill and Rich Vos
Pat was cremated and will be interred with her husband at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove. A service and memorial for family and friends will be planned at a later date.
“Cry not for me, when I shall die and leave behind this Earth I love, these trees, this sky, the ever-pounding Sea. Cry not for me. Rejoice! My Soul has Wings and in its freedom sings.” by Joan B. Danziger
-
-
-
-
-