Patricia McGraw Nofzinger
August 25, 1930 - February 02, 2016
Obituary
MADISON- Patricia Jean "Pat" (McGraw) Nofzinger, age 85, passed away on Tuesday, February 2, 2016. She was born on Aug. 25, 1930, in Ottumwa, Iowa to Clifford and Lorene (Pixley) McGraw. Pat was raised in Creston, Iowa where she graduated from high School in 1948. She attended Oberlin College where she obtained a Bachelor of Music degree in June of 1952 and a Bachelor of Music Education in September of 1952. Pat taught at Laurel school in Shaker Heights, Ohio before attending Indiana University. At IU Pat obtained a certificate in piano performance in May of 1957 and a Master of Music with Highest Distinction in June of 1957. She met her future husband, Lonnie while attending IU and they were married on Sept. 1, 1958. Pat entered the Ph.D. program at IU while waiting for Lonnie to graduate in 1960; however she was unable to complete the program due to the birth of their first child. Lonnie and Pat also lived in Danville, Ill., and then moved to Madison in 1966 for Lonnie's employment. Pat spent the remainder of her life in Madison, accompanying and teaching students of all ages, and was very well-respected in the musical community. She had great joy in helping others to obtain their goals in music and actively supported music in many different ways throughout her life. It has been said that Pat was, "the ultimate professional", "a rock solid performer", "had a can-do outlook on music making", and "a well-tuned sense of humor." Former students stated that she was "a musical inspiration" and "among the best in Madison." Pat is survived by her son, Michael (Stephanie) Nofzinger; daughter, Meg (Pete) Sanville; four grandchildren, Quinn (Tasha) Nofzinger, Crysta (Adam) Hietpas and Jordan and Bryce Sanville; three great-grandchildren, Reid, Ty, and Tenley Hietpas; and by her sister, Elizabeth McGraw of Tempe, Ariz. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lonnie, exactly 11 years to the date of her death (Feb. 2, 2005); and by her parents. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. ANN CATHOLIC CHURCH, 323 N. Van Buren St., Stoughton, at 11 a.m., on Saturday, May 7, 2016, with a luncheon to follow. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Saturday. Pat will be buried in Creston, Iowa, alongside her parents, in a private family ceremony at a later date. Memorials may be made in Patricia's name to Alzheimer's disease Research at Alzheimer's Association Southeastern WI, 620 S. 76th St. Ste. 160, Milwaukee, WI 53214. The family would like to thank Heartland Hospice for their compassionate care.
"The song is ended but the melody lingers on". –Irving Berlin.
Gunderson Stoughton
Funeral & Cremation Care
1358 Highway 51 N. @ Jackson
(608)873-4590
Events
Visitation
Sat May 7, 2016 @ 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM CDT
St. Ann Catholic Parish (Stoughton) • 323 N. Van Buren, Stoughton, WI
Mass of Christian Burial
Sat May 7, 2016 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
St. Ann Catholic Parish (Stoughton) • 323 N. Van Buren, Stoughton, WI
Photos
No photos of Patricia have been shared yet.
Memories
JA
Jennifer Anderson
Other •
Meg and family,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. May your memories bring you peace and comfort.
With love
Jen and Jeff Anderson
DN
Dale Norton
Other •
Pat was a wonderful support for young musicians ... and a good friend.
BR
Bill Richardson
Other •
Pat was the accompanist for Faculty recitals to open the UW Summer Music Clinic for many years and I the pleasure to perform with her many times-asTrombone Prof at UW -Madison 1974-2003.
I would get the music to Pat in advance and we would put the piece together in one rehearsal as she was the ultimate professional- learned the piece in advance and added her musicality to the rehearsal and was a rock solid performer in front of 700 High School kids at Clinic, every time we performed. I always enjoyed working with Pat as she had a can-do outlook on music making and life and a well tuned sense of humor, so we had many good laughs together.
Pat was a sweet, positive force in this world. Her presence will be missed here, but she will enliven the gatherings in her next life.
Bill Richardson
CK
Charlie Kiddy
Other •
She was a sweet lady. I remember bringing the Eucharist to her when she first went to Skaalen and praying the rosary with her and others in the chapel there. May she rest in peace and may God console her family.
AE
Alice Erickson
Other •
Pat taught my son Chris for 8 years. She was an amazing teacher. I will always be so grateful for the love of music she instilled in him. During that time we began a friendship that never ended over the next 23 years. She was such a kind, funny, gracious and thoughtful woman - and will be so missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
TG
Tyrone and Janet Greive
Other •
Over many years, Pat played for our many students over many, many years (in Tyrone's UW violin studio and Janet's private cello studio as well as part of the Pre-College Institute in the first years after we first came to Madison in 1979). She also played for many of our performances at UW, the UW Music Clinic, and other Madison venues. We also heard her play for large numbers of students of other teachers in recitals, competitions, jury examinations and other performances. Always playing at the highest level, she was always prepared to meet any of the unexpected occurrences that often take place in live performances. She was the ultimate of a truly professional musician, and, in that role, she was a wonderful, highly supportive teacher who helped each of the students for whom she played reach yet higher levels beyond what their other teachers could give. A real lady, she was also a close, warm friend who was dearly cherished by both of us. She will be greatly missed. Her family should be comforted by the memory of what a truly extraordinary person she really was!
Tyrone and Janet Greive