Patricia Wieczorek

Dates

Obituary

Patricia Wieczorek, 74, of Chaska, Minnesota, formerly of  Mt. Vernon, SD, passed away Monday, July 6, 2026, at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, MN. A celebration of Pat’s life will be held as an open house on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at her home, 25379 397th Avenue, Mount Vernon, South Dakota. Friends and family are invited to come, share memories, and celebrate a life filled with strength, love, music, movement, and family.

Patricia Lou (Hildebrand) Wieczorek was born on April 19, 1952, in Mitchell, South Dakota, to Melvin and Mary Hildebrand. She graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1970 and went on to earn her associate degree from Nettleton College in Sioux Falls. There, she met her lifelong friends Rose and Julie and began dating John Wieczorek, her high school classmate. Pat and John married and went on to raise their two daughters, Lindsay and Sarah.

Pat was never afraid of hard work—a quality that stayed with her throughout her life. She worked on the harvest run, traveling with the crew and her family and doing the demanding work that came with it. Whatever needed to be done, Pat was willing to roll up her sleeves and do it.

Pat’s five grandchildren were among the greatest joys of her life. She moved from Mount Vernon to Chaska, Minnesota, so she could be close to them and watch them grow up. She loved being part of their lives.

Pat also loved Zumba, going to the gym, gardening, taking walks, reading, and participating in book clubs. She loved music—especially anything with a good beat—and she loved to dance. An avid reader throughout her life, Pat said the final book she read, Theo of Golden, was her favorite book of all time.

Pat was the toughest person her family knew. She faced serious health challenges again and again, meeting each one with remarkable resilience and an enduring determination to recover and keep going. Through it all, she remained supportive and kind, energetic and strong, and deeply devoted to the people she loved.

Patricia is survived by her husband, John Wieczorek; her daughters, Sarah Wieczorek and Lindsay Wieczorek and her husband, Andrew; her five grandchildren, Oliver, Henry, Bennett, Pierce, and Adeline; and her brother, Jim Hildebrand and his wife, Janeen. She was preceded in death by her parents, Melvin and Mary Hildebrand.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to CURE SYNGAP1, an organization meaningful to Patricia’s family because her granddaughter Adeline lives with SYNGAP1-related disorder.

Visitation(s)