Patrick Bernard Day

Patrick Day, 80, passed away at his Diamondhead Lake home on August 28, 2019. He was born in Del Norte, Colorado and graduated from high school in Massena, New York in 1957 where he was an all-state wrestler. Pat’s father was a civil engineer for the federal government, and the family followed him around the country for work assignments involving flood control. The Red Rock Reservoir project on the Des Moines River finally brought Pat to Iowa, and he decided to stay.

Pat attended the Americana Beauty School in Des Moines where he met fellow student Glenna Roberts from Corning. They were married in 1961, and soon began a family of four children along with a very successful hair salon business career. In 1964 they opened Patrick’s Hairstyles in Des Moines where Pat soon earned a reputation as a leading hair stylist in the community. When President Lyndon Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson traveled to Des Moines in 1966, Pat was commissioned to style the First Lady’s hair at a downtown hotel. Pat was an innovator in the hair salon business, and saw the need for a specialty store that could provide a positive experience for young children getting their first haircuts. In 1976 The Lollipop opened in Urbandale where several generations of central Iowa children would receive their first haircuts in a toy store like environment at the kind hands of Pat, Glenna and staff. Pat and Glenna sold Patrick’s Hairstyles and The Lollipop upon retiring some years ago. Both salons remain in business to this day.

A 1968 radio jingle ad promoting a new private lake community development west of Des Moines brought Pat and Glenna to what was then called the Happy Acres Lake Development in southeast Guthrie County. They promptly bought two water front lots with mature trees on the east side of the lake, which included a bonus set of dishes offered by the developer. The lake development was still in its infancy with just a cow-path like trail following the shoreline that led to their property, and it would be several more years before the present Diamondhead Drive road would be constructed.

Pat served as a director on the lake homeowners’ association board of directors in the early 1970’s when the lake development was sold to a Minnesota developer and promptly renamed Diamondhead Lake and Country Club. In the years to come, Pat and Glenna were regular attendees of the monthly LBMC board meetings and kept up with the activities of our lake community.

Pat and Glenna built a small cabin on their east side property in 1971-72, and added the present three level addition with garage/shop in 1998. They moved to the lake to live full-time in 1999 where Pat kept busy each year assembling and disassembling a multi-piece 14 foot high Christmas tree that graced the Day’s great room each holiday season.

Pat was an accomplished wood-worker, and did much of the interior finish and trim work for the new beautiful three-level lake home with stunning view of the lake. This lake home has been the site of many family holiday gatherings and reunions, and Pat and Glenna have been most generous opening up their home for a number of lake social club activities.

Pat and Glenna had one of the first Mastercraft ski boats to appear on Diamondhead Lake in the 1980’s. Their current red and white colored Mastercraft ski boat has been a fixture on the lake for a number of years with Pat as operator and later as spotter pulling excited grandchildren and relatives on endless tube rides. Pat and Glenna also introduced the very first personal water crafts to Diamondhead Lake in the early 1980’s with two identical Kawasaki stand-up style Jet Skis. I guess we can blame Pat Day for the invasion of jet skis that now roam our lake some 35 years later.

Pat was an avid cyclist, and rode on a number of Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Rides Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) events over the years. With Glenna driving the support recreational vehicle, Pat organized a team of riders called, what else but - Team Lollipop.

In 2016, the lake homeowners’ association recognized Pat and Glenna’s contributions to the lake by making them grand marshals for the summer boat parade. Pat was a charter member of the weekly retired lake men’s breakfast at the nearby Dexter Cafe where lake gossip is exchanged and world problems regularly solved in one hour or less. He recently celebrated his 80th birthday with a family organized party at the Dexter Roundhouse Community Building that drew many Diamondhead lake friends.

In the loving memory of Patrick Day we say goodbye to our loving husband, father, papa and dear friend. Patrick will be greatly missed by his wife Glenna of 58 years; children, Kelly Hemry, Lisa Anderson (Tom), and Matthew Day (Tracy), and daughter-in-law, Allyson (Chris Cooper); sister, Judy Kelley (Jim); 17 grandchildren, Bradley Day, Elizabeth Day, Meredith (Kyle) Klatt, Cameron Cooper, Harrison Cooper, Taylor Day, Bryanna (Zach) DeCarlo, Logan Hemry, Andrew Hemry, Luke Anderson, Mack Anderson, Jake Anderson, Nick Anderson, Ava Anderson, Samuel Day, Findley Day, and Roslin Day; 5 great–grandchildren, Emma Klatt, Oliver Klatt, Zoey Hemry, Johanna DeCarlo and Axel Howell-Hemry. He was preceded in death by his son, Michael Patrick Day.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to All Saints Catholic Church in Stuart, Iowa.