Patricia Ann Schuknecht

Patricia Ann Gottschall Schuknecht
October 10, 1938 - December 29, 2023

PRAIRIE DU SAC/LODI - Patricia Ann Gottschall Schuknecht died on Friday, December 29, 2023, at the Sauk Prairie Hospital, Prairie du Sac, WI.  Patti (Patty-Ann, Pat, Trish, Miss Patti, Big Patti, Beth Ann, Mom, Mummy, GramS, Gramsie) was born Phyllis Ann Chrisler on October 10, 1938, in Wauwatosa WI.  She was adopted as an infant by her paternal great-aunt, Grace Sylvia (Chrislaw) Gottschall and her husband, Herbert Harvey Gottschall.  Memories of her years in Milwaukee included: her kindly little old nurse, Miss Wolter (a good old soul); weekend trips to Baraboo to visit her Gottschall grandparents squealing at the sight of the “Blue Baraboo’s” and listening to her grandparents’ stories (where the seeds of her love for family history were planted); her Boston Bull Terrier, Pepper; a neighborhood filled with children; and a little house with a white picket fence.  Patti moved to Pine Crest Farm in Lodi in March of 1944 with her parents when they retired from their teaching positions in Milwaukee.  She found the big stately grout house on Pine Crest a bit daunting.  Those early years on Pine Crest were lonely ones for Patti.  Books became her friends.

Patti’s ability to make friends of all ages developed during her school years as she moved between grades.  Friends from Lodi and Milwaukee enjoyed joining Patti on horseback rides at Pine Crest.  Patti graduated from Lodi High School in 1955 at the age of 16.  She attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison for two years enrolling in the Integrated Liberal Studies program.  In 1957, at the age of 18, she married Bob Alton Schuknecht whom she met at school.  She had three children by the age of 21.  She and Bob began their married life renting the top floor of her aunt Neva (Chrislaw) Robertson’s farmhouse on Hwy 60 between Lodi and Prairie.  Her cousin’s wife, Helen (Haberman) Robertson, who was renting the bottom floor, gave her the sound marital advice never to learn anything you don’t want to do the rest of your life.  As their family grew, they eventually took over the entire house where Patti’s kids experienced a magical childhood.  In 1968 the family moved to the tenant house on Pine Crest so Bob could better help his aging father-in-law with the farm.

In 1969, Patti, who did not know how to swim, magically rescued her father-in-law, Alvin Lewis Schuknecht, who also did not know how to swim, but had managed to tip over his fishing boat down on the Pond.  Alvin always looked at Patti and Tippy (the 3-legged dog who had alerted Patti to the emergency) in a special light after that.

In 1970 a horse fell on Patti while she attempted to mount, and she suffered two compound fractures of her lower left leg.  Confined to a full-length leg cast for 10 months, Patti at last had the time to devote to her true passion, researching local and family history.  Her research put her in contact with fellow enthusiasts from all over the country and beyond.  She traveled to meet “new” relations in the west where she rode horse on a cattle drive.  She discovered a love of the Catskills in New York where her Steele relations first settled and traveled there as often as possible.  In 1973, Bob and Patti hosted the 100th anniversary of the first Steele picnic at Pine Crest, which attracted over 200 “cousins” from across the U.S.  A family cookbook that she authored for this event contains as much genealogy as recipes, is two inches thick, and only covered A-C.  (One of those projects she was always going to return to.)

Patti stayed home with her children except for occasional temporary and seasonal employment until 1982 when she joined the staff of the Lodi Woman's Club Free  Library where she served until 1998. She created a warm and welcoming home, filled with interesting things and fascinating people.  The doors were always open.

Unlike Bob, Patti enjoyed travel, driving with friends or at times by herself, to visit her daughters.  It was more about the journey than the destination.  She avoided interstates (shunpiking) and stopped along the way to explore sights, cemeteries, and pop in on friends and family.

Patti became a Tiger Mom for her daughter, Cherie Ann (Schuknecht) Haug when Cherie was diagnosed with endometrial cancer.  Cherie died on November 12, 2001, six weeks after diagnosis, knowing her mom and dad had moved mountains in their efforts to help.

There was never a piece of paper that Patti didn’t keep, never a book that she didn’t need to take home.  Patti was a prolific writer, an interesting and thoughtful correspondent, and a life-long learner.  She was a charter member of both local historical societies and amassed an astounding amount of material preserving the histories of the area.  She loved her involvement with class reunions and the West Point Area Historical Society’s calendars.  She showered attention on her yellow labs.  She adored her children, their spouses, her grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

One of those “papers” that Patti was loath to part with contained a note from Shirley Groves which Patti received at the time of her mother’s death.  Shirley wrote, "We will miss these dear, bright, colorful, strong-minded people who somehow make the rest of us seem 'watered-down' ".  The same can be said of Patti.     

Patti was preceded in death by her daughter, Cherie Ann (Schuknecht) Haug and her husband, Bob Alton Schuknecht.  Patti is survived by her children, Schoen Allon and Patricia Ann (Stevens) Schuknecht, of Hudson, WI; Shelagh Beth (Schuknecht) and Stephen Douglas Munroe of St. Albans, VT; her son-in-law, Glenn Haug of Grenora, ND; her grandchildren Derek and Theresa (Norell) Schuknecht of Hudson, WI, and their children Cole and Lacey; Tara (Schuknecht) and Devin Maier of Waunakee, WI, and their children Wesley and Cameron; Grady and Teryn (Buchanan) Munroe of Madison, WI; and Ceilidh Munroe of St. Albans, VT.  She is further survived by her sisters-in-law, Betty Marlene (Schuknecht) Pegram of Greensboro, NC; Carol Lavon (Schuknecht) Deneen of Stoughton, WI; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life honoring Patti will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm at the WEST POINT TOWN HALL, N2114 Rausch Rd., Lodi, WI 53555.  The family would like to thank the staffs at Home Again in Waunakee, Pine Villa Memory Care in Prairie du Sac, and Sauk Prairie Hospital for the compassionate care Patti received.  The family is grateful for the help the local historical societies have provided in preserving Patti’s collection of materials.  Please consider donations in Patti’s memory to the Lodi Valley Historical Society, P.O. Box 72, Lodi WI 53555 and the West Point Area Historical Society, Town of West Point, Attn: Mary Ann Johnson, N2114 Rausch Rd, Lodi WI 53555.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com

Gunderson Lodi

Funeral & Cremation Care

157 S. Main St.

(608) 592-3201