Patty Stockham

Patricia Jeanne "Patty" Stockham was born July 28, 1920, in Lewis, Iowa, the oldest child of Glen and Gladys Smith Porch. Early in Patty's life, the family moved to her grandfather Porch's farm north of Anita where they lived until 1933 when they moved to Anita. Patty attended country school and then high school in Anita.

In 1937, she married Nolan Stockham. In 1940, they welcomed her youngest brother, Jon Kent, to their home as their mother was terminally ill. Ten years later, Kathy was born. They farmed in Lincoln Township eventually moving to the farm they bought in 1955. Patty was active in the farming operation, and she continued to love and to care for her farm until the end of her life.

Nolan died suddenly in 1976. Because Patty had dreamed of being a nurse, she attended LPN training. Following graduation, she worked for 17 years at Colonial Manor Nursing Home, now Caring Acres Nursing Home and Rehab Center, where she would spend the last four years of her life. She loved nursing.

Patty enjoyed collecting dolls, fixing and sewing clothes for them. She loved flowers and birds and continued to mow with her riding mower until she was 90.

She accepted the Lord as her Savior in the 1940s and was active in Baptist churches the rest of her life, first at North Massena Baptist Church, then the Bible Baptist Church in Anita, and finally at First Baptist Church in Cumberland. She loved her church family and always had candy for the kids.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathy of Omaha; daughter-in-law, Ann of Carroll; granddaughters, Robin (Steve) Walter of Des Moines and Teresa (Paul) Wooster of Irwin; grandson, Matthew (Sue) Stockham of Des Moines; ten great-grandchildren, Ben (Katie) Wooster, Josh (Audrianna) Wooster, Sam (Joelle) Walter, Mackenzie Wooster, Nathan Walter, Jennifer Wooster, Rebecca Stockham, Aaron Stockham, Katy Wooster, Jordan Stockham; and two great-great grandsons, Emmaus and Kidren Wooster; sisters, Peggy Hartkopf Robinson of Atlantic and Jane Clemsen of Ft. Dodge; brother-in-law, Howard Andersen of Atlantic and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She is also survived by her beloved "family across the road", Bill Russell, Connie Russell, Angie (Jeff) Schmitz, Matt (Pat) Russell, Todd (Kathy) Russell, their children and grandchildren. In addition she is survived by her life-long friend Margaret Taylor and her friends at Caring Acres.

Patty was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Nolan; son, Jon Kent; sister, Carol Anderson; brother, Norman Porch; sisters-in-law, Dixie Porch, Ethel McCartney and Maxine Stockham, brothers-in-law, Don Hartkopf, Lyle Clemsen, Harry McCartney and Bill Stockham.

Patty died at age 96 on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at Caring Acres Nursing and Rehab.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, September 25 at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Hockenberry Funeral Home in Atlantic followed by burial at Evergreen Cemetery in Anita.

Memorials may be directed to the Anita Public Library or the First Baptist Church of Cumberland.

Arrangements are by Iles Funeral Homes, Des Moines, hosted by Hockenberry Family Care, Atlantic.