Obituary of Patricia Mary Anderson

Patricia Mary Anderson, known for her superhuman level of fitness, Italian enthusiasm and fierce devotion to her family, died Sept. 4, 2024, surrounded by family.

Pat was born Nov. 19, 1931, in Bessemer, Mich., to Peter and Antoinette Ademino. She and her four brothers were raised in Hurley, Wis. A rarity for the time, she attended the College of St. Scholastica to become a registered nurse. In Duluth she met Carl Anderson, and they married in 1953. Pat paused her nursing work to raise their four children in Proctor. Special times were spent at the family cabin in Shell Lake, Wis., with lots of waterskiing, biking, boating and bonfires.

When Carl died in 1980, Pat returned to nursing, working in the cardiac unit at St Luke’s. Then, she also learned how to cross-country ski, bowl and golf, and became a season ticket holder for UMD Bulldog hockey, the Duluth symphony and the Duluth Playhouse. She met Ralph Andres in 1987, and together they explored the world, visiting Africa and large sections of Europe. A family girls trip to Italy in 2008 was a highlight. Pat’s faith was strong, and she volunteered often at St. Rose Catholic Church, where she was a member, as well as the Proctor food shelf. She was also a member of the Proctor Moose Lodge and was a regular Red Cross blood donor.

Pat craved adrenaline as she aged, and went ziplining on a trip to Costa Rica at age 78 with treasured friend Gerri Erickson. She could still waterski at age 79. At 80, she parachuted out of a plane with two of her granddaughters and finished with a tequila shot to celebrate. An avid gardener, golfer, walker and fan of merlot, she mastered the delicate balance of healthy living and the good life, prioritizing exercise to extend her time here. Pat was a doer. If you knew her, you marveled at her drive. After she retired, she tested CNAs in training at Lake Superior College until retiring again at age 84. She also knit caps for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Luke’s.

The stylish matriarch with a contagious smile talked with her hands and commanded rooms. She was a force of nature, but also a quiet listener and realist who managed to bring light to hopeless situations. Simply, she was the family glue. She taught us this: don’t be afraid to live.

Pat is preceded in death by husband Carl, partner Ralph, brothers Ray, Jim and Bob Ademino; and son-in-law Randy Morgel.

Pat is survived by brother Peter (Cheryl) Ademino, Pulaski, Wis.; sisters-in-law Helen Ademino, Hurley, and Joan Ademino, Spooner, Wis.; daughters Carla (Lee) Hollingsworth, Wascott, Wis.; and June Anderson, Princeton, Minn.; sons Rob (Rhonda) Anderson and Greg (Mary) Kopel-Anderson, Duluth; grandchildren Erin (Bart) Berglund, Christy Hollingsworth, Jana (Craig Gustafson) Hollingsworth; Jessie (Joe) Montoye, Derrick (Nicole) Anderson, Rachael (Katie) Kindell; Kevin (Michaela) Anderson and eight great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. A special thanks to Beehive Assisted Living and Gentiva Hospice for their loving care of Pat.

A visitation will be held at 10 a.m. with an 11 a.m. service Sept. 10 at St. Rose in Proctor. A 1 p.m. lunch will follow at the Proctor Moose Lodge. Memorials preferred to Proctor food shelf, the Red Cross or the Duluth Salvation Army.