Patricia (Patti) Lou O’Brien of LaSalle, Colorado, passed away in her home on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at the age of 86. Patti was well-known in the community, first as an educator and then for her 41-year career as a mail carrier with the United States Postal Service. She lived with grit and tenacity. Above all, she is most remembered for her unwavering love for her family, spending every free moment supporting them and creating cherished memories in her home.
Patti was born in Elkhorn, Nebraska, on February 7, 1938, to Louis and Lilly Rolfs. A woman who loved reading stories as much as telling them, Patti often shared her memories of her charmed childhood in Elkhorn with her two brothers, Del and Allan, to any ear willing to listen.
Patti’s incredible work ethic began in her youth. She graduated Salutatorian from Elkhorn High School in 1956. She was awarded the General Mills Betty Crocker Scholarship for the State of Nebraska. She was a proud member of the Pi Beta Phi Sorority at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. At UNL, she met the love of her life and her husband, William (Bill) O’Brien, who passed away in 2021.
Following their marriage in 1958, Patti and Bill enrolled at Colorado State College (now UNC), where she graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education, Home Economics, and Social Science. Bill’s first teaching and coaching position was in Nebraska, but they returned to Colorado shortly after losing their second son, Patrick, during childbirth.
Patti was skilled with a sewing machine and was an excellent cook. She was particularly proud of her experience as an educator. In the early '60s, she taught Home Economics and English at Frederick High School in Fredrick, Colorado. She was a substitute teacher for all grade levels and subjects for the Weld County School District RE-1 from 1963 to 1976.
Bill and Patti raised four children: Michael, Michelle, Melissa, and Michaela. She and Bill were a united front when it came to parenting, and the family was always Patti’s main priority.
Patti joined the Post Office to contribute more financially, and worked as a mail carrier for over four decades. She pushed her body to the limit and never complained. (She carried and sorted so much mail that she wore down her fingerprints to the point she couldn’t set up the touch ID on her iPhone.)
Patti and Bill’s hard work paid off. They purchased their dream home in LaSalle in 1977. That home filled up with grandkids and great-grandkids. She and Bill had to build an addition to make room to host the growing clan for birthdays and holidays. Those events were always important to Patti, who valued quality time with her family and gift-giving. She was a thoughtful and astute gift giver who loved to shop, even if just to look.
Patti was a resilient woman who never stopped learning through her love of books. Her mind stayed sharp till the end, though years of physical labor at the post office and multiple injuries affected Patti’s mobility. However, she refused to let her physical challenges stop her from doing what she wanted. She continued to go to her grandkid’s volleyball games, shop, drive, cook, host family gatherings, and take care of her home until her final day. When asked what her secret was, Patti responded, “Diet Coke.”
Her legacy of strength, perseverance, and commitment to family will live on through her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Patti is survived by son Michael O’Brien; daughters Michelle (Paul) Chacon, Melissa (David) Eckhardt, and Michaela Smith; grandchildren Jamie (Zach) Belloni, Jessie O’Brien, Courtney Chacon, Brendan Chacon, Devin (Colten) Foster, Brynn (Austin) Brunz, Delaney Eckhardt, Chelsea Smith, Samantha Smith, Madison (Mason) Richardson; great-grandchildren Willow Smith, Charlie, Collins and Cortland Foster; Beau and Bennie Brunz; Sloan Belloni and baby Belloni arriving in January 2025; former daughter-in-law Denise O’Brien; brother Allan Rolfs; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews and her McCook National Bank Family.
She is preceded in death by her husband Bill O’Brien; parents Louis and Lilly Rolfs; son Charles Patrick O’Brien; daughter-in-law Becky O’Brien; son-in-law David Smith; brother Delmar Rolfs and sisters-in-law Marcia Rolfs and Bonnie Rolfs.
Visitation will be held at Allnutt Funeral Service - Macy Chapel on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. Services of Christian burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, August 8, 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church at 3000 35th Avenue Greeley, CO 80634.
Memorial contributions may be made to Valley High School Athletics or LaSalle Fire Protection District. In care of Allnutt Funeral Service, Macy Chapel, 6521 W. 20th Street, Greeley, CO, 80634.
