Patricia "Pat" Coakley

SUN PRAIRIE - Patricia Kuchan “Pat” Coakley, age 80, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, at Brookdale Senior Living in Sun Prairie. Mom was born in Canton, Ill., on Jan. 21, 1940, the daughter of Rudolph and Victoria Kuchan. “Patty” grew up with many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She loved to fish with her dad and work in his vegetable gardens, especially the tomato beds. She was given her first BB gun when she was 8 years old. Mom may have been somewhat of a tomboy, but her grace and beauty also led to her title of homecoming princess during her senior year at Canton Senior High School. She graduated from Brown’s Secretarial College in Peoria, Ill., and moved to Wisconsin to raise her family. Mom worked for the Wisconsin Legislative Council until her retirement in 2004. She was very proud of the work she did for the agency as a budget analyst and established many of her closest and most enduring friendships with the people she met there. Mom’s family and friends often said she was the smartest person they knew. She loved crossword puzzles, libraries, newspapers, sewing, gardening, and having a burger with her friends. Mom was so interested in government and geography that she asked for the gift of an atlas so she could look up the countries she read about in the newspaper. She was a skilled gardener who freely shared her knowledge, plants and time with family, friends and the occasional passerby who paused to admire her work. Mom loved to celebrate holidays and birthdays with family and friends and hosted wonderful parties. She was a beautiful person, inside and out and a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and true friend. Mom is survived by her daughter, Allison Coakley; two sons, Kevin (Karen) Coakley and Michael Coakley; three grandchildren, Sara Coakley, Jack Coakley and Gracie Coakley; sister, Marianne Zike; nieces, Lynn (Patrick) Shaffer and Lisa Hartshorne; nephew, Steve (Marci) Hartshorne; and many other dear family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, Eric Zike; and her very best friend in the world, Mary Dahlstrom. Private services will be held with a public Celebration of Life next spring. Our family would like to thank the staff at Brookdale Senior Living for the respectful and loving care mom received during her stay there. We also thank the kind nurses and social workers from Agrace HospiceCare for the medical support and counsel they provided both mom and our family. If you care to make a donation, the family suggests Agrace HospiceCare. We love you mom. You will live in our hearts forever. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420