James Patrick Maurer

James Patrick Maurer of Lake Odessa entered into Eternal Life on April 18, 2026, after 88 years on this earth. Born on March 17, 1938, in Nashville Michigan, he was the youngest in the family of Lawrence and Gertrude (Lennon) Maurer. Given the family’s fondness of nicknames and his birthday, it seemed the obvious choice to call him Pat. He moved to Lake Odessa in high school, where he met Mae Jewel Jackson and gave her a nickname, too. Pat and Julie were married on April 4, 1959, and welcomed six children into their family. Pat and Julie were well-matched on the dance floor, where his look of intense concentration could sometimes be mistaken for a scowl.

His children cherish memories of many horses and ponies that Pat taught them to train and care for, including barrel racing, rides in the Amish buggy, and saucer rides in snowy fields that only ended when the kid got dumped out. The children also learned that laughter and hard work were a rewarding combination, although perhaps more so in retrospect than at the time they were working on the farm. It wasn’t until a family work bee in 2010 that his sons looked at each other and said, “I can finally work harder and longer than Dad.” We fondly recall his closeness with his sister Ruth O’Mara and his dedication to his Catholic faith as a parishioner at St. Edwards. His dry sense of humor made him a storyteller beloved by young and old: Grandpa, tell about the time that…. became a common refrain.

Pat was an enthusiastic supporter of athletics, evidenced by many years of coaching Little League baseball and junior high basketball, as a board member of Lakewood Athletic Association, and a vocal Michigan Wolverine fan. He travelled to Pasadena in 1983 with three of his children and slept on the sidewalk of Colorado Boulevard to secure a front row seat for the Rose Parade, followed by cheering for the Wolverines at the Rose Bowl. In mid-life Pat decided that there was more to another sport than “chasing a little white ball around the pasture” and quickly became an avid golfer. Having mellowed with age, he taught his grandson to golf with patient encouragement: Just let the club do the work. You don’t have to whack the ball; the club will do the work for you.

Pat was also a lifelong and determined hunter, specializing in bagging his pheasant limit when he was a young father (except for the year that his broken right arm forced him to shoot left-handed). In his later years, he trained many bird dogs, both his own and for other hunters. Who knew that dogs would be so much easier to train than children? He was also active in the local chapters of Pheasants Forever and the Conservation District.

After Mae’s untimely death from cancer in 1992, Pat once again found love and married Margaret Poff on February 25, 1995. Together they explored the country in their travel trailer, including several pleasant winters in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Country folk at heart, they enjoyed peace and tranquility on the farm. They also enjoyed the frequent visits from family and friends after moving to town in 2024.

Pat is survived by his devoted wife Margaret; Margaret’s children Kelly Schuiteman and Jack (Amy) Fuller; children Julie Maurer, Joanna (Steve) Collins, Jeff Maurer, Jeanne (John) Filko, John (Carol) Maurer, and Jamie (Pamela) Maurer; his grandchildren Ashley (Darrin) Jordan, Kelsey Maurer, Kyley (Tomer) Gelbhart, Graysen Filko, Carson (Heidi) Filko, Alden Filko, Derek Collins, Nick Collins, Jewel Collins, Joellen Maurer, Jackson (Averi Beck) Maurer, and Joshua Maurer; great grandchildren Ellie, Allie, and Bentley Jordan, Ashton, Lonnie, and Viola Maurer, Lettie Filko; his brother Joe Maurer, and by his beloved sister Ruth O’Mara.

As a way to honor Pat, who wasn't a suit and tie kind of guy, please feel free to dress in clothes he would enjoy: U of M, Hunting, Pheasants Forever, Lakewood Athletic Association or golfing.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2026, from 5pm until 8pm with a Rosary beginning at 7:30pm at Koops. Funeral Mass will be held the next day Friday April 24, 2026, at 11am at St Edward's Catholic Church in Lake Odessa.

Donation are suggested to the Lakewood Athletic Association in Pat's name.