Patricia Ann Van Straten

Patricia Ann Van Straten, age 85, passed away on Thursday, April 22, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. Born on August 12, 1935, in Sampson, WI, to parents, Steven Machurick and Verene (Exferd) Machurick. Patricia married James G. Van Straten in DePere, WI, on June 11, 1955 and had six children during the next ten years. She was the consummate military spouse; did not object to moving, always looked upon each move as an adventure, tried to instill this sense of adventure in her children and loved to entertain in her home. She was a devoted volunteer for many years, benefiting different organizations on Fort Sam Houston through Thrift Shop proceeds and serving the needs of the indigent poor through the auspices of the St. Vincent de Paul Society until Alzheimer’s robbed her of the ability to continue. She was a faithful loving member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church and supporter of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, having been inducted into the Order in the year 2004. For many years she participated in the Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in her parish church. After her God, Pat loved family most. Pat was an unquestioned heroine to her husband because of her devotion to family and the care of a fragile toddler while he was deployed in Vietnam. Beyond motherhood, Patricia had many work experiences. Out of high school she worked for City Public Service in Green Bay, WI. In Washington D.C. she was employed with Boat U.S., a newly formed startup company. And in San Antonio she and a family friend opened a store named “Plants Plus.” She personally did most of the buying for the store from local nurseries and along with her partner managed the store and met the needs of customers, several of whom were members of the San Antonio Spurs basketball team. This delighted Pat as she was a fan and remained an avid fan throughout her life. She loved to travel. During her lifetime she and her husband visited over fifty foreign countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Central America and North America. Since 1997, Pat spent two months each summer at the family cottage on Cranberry Lake, near Eagle River, WI. Here she enjoyed seeing extended family and old friends. Among her favorite hobbies were sewing, jigsaw puzzles, cross word puzzles and ceramics. Several pieces of her work graced her home. Patricia loved music. She was a fabulous whistler; she could carry a tune to anything fast or slow. She was a proponent of “whistling while she worked.” Amongst her favorite artists were Willie Nelson, Glen Campbell, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver and Cat Stevens. Ever committed to making the world a better place, Patricia would take long walks picking up trash along the way. How fitting that she passed on “Earth Day.” Above all else Patricia was a peaceful, gentle person. Her final days were in the loving care of Sisters Amy Lopez, Claudia Orona and Eva Samaniego of the El Amparo Home Care facility. The Van Straten family will be eternally grateful to these amazing Christian women for their loving care of Patricia. The family also wishes to express its thanks to San Antonio Home Care and Hospice for the caring attitude and professionalism of its staff. Patricia was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, James and Donald Machurick and stepfather Ervin Ahlswede. She is survived by her husband, COL James Van Straten; her children, Leslie Marie, Susan Beth (Cam McMartin), Kathryn Ann, Laurie Joan (Hector Ramirez), Steven James (Deborah) and Michael Glen (Beverly); grandchildren, Kimberly, Christopher, Ashleigh, Jacob, Demetra, Ryan, Patrick and Jack; great-grandchildren, Charlie, Addison and Jack and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 6680 Crestway Drive. Family remembrances will begin at 6:30 with Rosary to follow at 7:00 pm. A funeral mass will be held at 11:30 am on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 also at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 6680 Crestway Drive. Father Alex Pereida will preside. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, interment will be private for family only at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society—SJN Conference, 6680 Crestway Drive, San Antonio, TX, 78239. You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com