Patricia Joyce Bienema, age 94, a native of Monroe Wisconsin and resident of Buford Georgia, passed away at the Generous Caregiving Center on Tuesday April 23,2024, after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Pat was born in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on April 13th,1930 to Emil and Bess (Jolin) Knaack. She graduated from Monroe High School in 1948 and was the high school band majorette. Pat won many state awards for her twirling expertise. Upon graduation Pat taught dance at the Kehl School of Dance in Madison, Wi. She was united in marriage to Richard J. Bienema on March 1, 1952, at St. Johns United Church of Christ, in Monroe, WI.
The couple moved to Ft Lauderdale, FL., early in their marriage, returning to Monroe in 1970. She loved to travel and enjoyed her trips around the US. She learned to ski in the Swiss alps. If there was an adventure to be had, Pat was ready to go! Pat was a loving mother and homemaker. She was a phenomenal cook and an incredible hostess to large groups of family and friends. During the holidays there were always fresh Christmas cookies baking. She was an excellent bowler and enjoyed curling for several years. Later she began porcelain doll making, painting every delicate detail by hand and creating very life-like babies, which she referred to as her “kids.”
Patricia is survived by her children and their spouses, Susan (Robert) Kuster of Sun Prairie, WI., Lisa (David) Dempsey, Buford, GA., and Kristine (Brian LeBrun) Bienema, Punta Gorda, FL., Grandchildren, Tiffany (Supin) Hsu, Robert (Stefanie) Kuster, and great-grandchildren, Alexander Hsu, Cora Kuster, and Layne Kuster. She is further survived by her sister, Kristine (James) Ronspiez of Oregon, WI., and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Richard, her parents, sisters and brothers in- law, Joan Knaack (Jack) Doyle and Virginia Knaack (Charles) Kummer, brother-in-law Robert Beinema, and sister-in-law Helen Jean (Beinema) Knechtges, nieces and nephews Julie (Kummer) Bartz, Kevin Doyle, Kay Knechtges, Heidi Lemke, and Linda Ferger.
The family would like to express sincere gratitude to the loving staff of Generous Caregiving, Buford, GA.
Family Memorial Services are pending, and will be held at Ryan Funeral Home, Verona WI. at a future date. The burial will be at Verona Cemetery, Verona, WI.
A memorial fund has been established in Patricia’s name at the Alzheimer’s Association to benefit Alzheimer’s research at http://act.alz.org/goto/PatriciaBienema
Mom, you will be forever in our hearts. “Death does not extinguish the Light, rather it puts out the lamp because the dawn has come.” (Author Unknown)
