Patty Jo (Wulf) Wakefield went to her heavenly home on August 26, 2024. Memorial services will be held at 11 am Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at Reach Church, in Blair, Nebraska. Visitation will be held prior to services beginning at 10 a.m. at the church. Private graveside services will be held in the Herman Cemetery.
Patty Jo (Wulf) Wakefield began her earthly life on April 14, 1944, in Fremont, Nebraska, being the first of three children born to Bob and Donna (Reed) Wulf. They resided in Blair, Nebraska. Patty attended and graduated from Blair High School, receiving her diploma in 1962. Patty’s youth was spent in Washington County working on 4-H projects and, as many in those days, she looked forward to exhibiting them in the county fair. She always enjoyed the friendships a small community provides but many of her closest friends were her many cousins and their families. Patty married Les Wakefield on April 13, 1963. They raised two children, Mary and Jim.
Pat worked tirelessly to create a home for her family; always kept a job, often two or three at once. For several years, she and Les owned and operated the Herman Café, where she was able to share her gift of cooking. Food was definitely her love language. After they sold the restaurant, Pat continued to stay in the business of preparing meals for people, cooking at Dana College, Ft. Calhoun School and running a successful catering business for many years. Many, if not most, will recall Pat’s cooking for the joy she got from feeding people. Pat always welcomed anyone in for a meal over the years, often without the slightest of heads up. The meal was always good, and if you walked away hungry it was your own fault.
Perhaps Pat’s greatest joy in life were her grandchildren, Brady, Riley and Josie. She always made time to spend with them, either with a visit or following them around to ball games, FFA functions or, of course, rodeos. Patty was their biggest fan and greatest advocate.
Pat continued working until 2023, mainly at Fox Ridge Apartments, for over 20 years. In September of 2023 Patty retired and moved to Holt County, Nebraska, where she spent nearly a full year of multigenerational living in O’Neill with Riley and Jenna. Their living arrangement, while awkward, produced many funny stories and fond memories.
Family and faith were the cornerstones of Patty’s life. She was baptized on May 19, 1944, and confirmed in the Lutheran Church of Orum, Nebraska. She taught Sunday School at the United Methodist Church in Herman for many years. Her relationship with her Lord and Savior was very important and deeply intimate but had grown spiritually and often seized the opportunity to share the Lord’s word with others.
Patty was joined in heaven by her husband of 43 years, Leslie Thomas Wakefield, her grandson Brady Thomas Wakefield, parents Bob and Donna Wulf, sister Robin Ann, parents-in-law Warren and Marjorie Wakefield. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Mary and Tracy Oliver and son and daughter-in-law Jim and Susan Wakefield; grandchildren: Josie Oliver and Gabe Neher, Riley James Wakefield and Jenna Dallyn; brother Kenneth (Bonnie) Wulf; sister Dennise Therkelsen; cousins, nephews, nieces and a lifetime of special friends.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to the Herman Rescue Squad or the Nebraska High School Rodeo Foundation.
Services by Campbell Aman Funeral Home in Blair, Nebraska. www.campbellaman.com
