Patricia Rose Blake passed away on July 11, 2023 at the age of 91. We knew this day would come and we find peace knowing she is now in heaven, but it doesn't make it any easier for her family to lose the sweetest, kindest, best little mother on earth.

Our mother was born in 1932 in Eau Claire, WI, to her late parents, Marshall and Marie Gunderzik. She was the youngest of four children. She graduated from Regis High School in Eau Claire and eventually moved to Green Bay and worked at the downtown YMCA. She met our father, Don Blake, and they were married in 1958 and proceeded to have four children. For the most part, mom was a stay at home mom taking care of us kids. She woke us up for school by giving us squeaky kisses in our ears and our necks and by singing. As time went by, she went to work at Grandpa and Grandma's tavern, "Blake's Island Bar", serving fish on Fridays and tending bar on Saturday afternoons. After 25 years of marriage, our parents divorced and mom got back into the working world by getting a job working nights at the Green Bay Press Gazette, while still tending bar for Grandma for many years. Eventually she got a job at Shopko main offices where she made many, many lifelong friends.

Mom enjoyed rummage sales, going out for fish, dinner with the Shopko girls, burgers at the Drift Inn, rides with her dear friend, Judy Baye, traveling hours for a good ice cream cone, popcorn, and visiting an apple orchard. She mostly enjoyed spending time with her kids – and did we mention rummage sales? Judy said, "Mom never had a care in the world, as long as she could get to a rummage sale." She was always so proud of her purchases – she was so easy to please. Mom lived a true example of "It's not about what you don't have; it's about being happy and grateful for what you do have, and more importantly who you have." Also Mom would say, "Everything tastes better when it's in a fancy glass." She taught us to live the same way.

Again, her friendships were lifelong and another one of her favorites was spending time with Grandma Blake doing Velp Ave runs, going places with her dear friends, who were also her in-laws, the late Jerry Blake, Nancy Blake, and Joan Vanhoosen. They would go for burgers, listen to bands (particularly Beaver Blake's Band) dance, eat wings, go to Kelly Blake's bar in Mountain for a few beers, go out for fish and laugh. She had so much fun with them! Mom also loved traveling to Maine to visit friends. These trips helped her through some rough times in her life. She also worked (goofed off) at Julie Blake's restaurant, where she was hired to peel potatoes (extra rummage sale money) and fell for every prank Julie played on her.

But nothing could take the place of going home to Eau Claire. She was treated like royalty by Aunt Bernadine and all of her nieces and nephews. I think it's the only time she would drink martinis. She loved large family gatherings they had when she was home, huge meals at Uncle Gordy's and Aunt Bernadine's, unbelievable homemade authentic Italian meals at her late brother and sister-in-laws, Bob and Jeanie Gunderzik, and spending time with her sister and brother-in-law, the late Jim and Audrey Persons.

Also, a special family, the Matuszaks: Paul, Sheila, Matthew, and Danielle. They treated her like family and included her in events like graduation, college orientations, prom pictures, and family cook outs. The kids called her Grandma Pat.

Mom is survived by her children and their spouses, Pam and Howard Burfiend, Tim (aka Luck) Blake, and Peggy and Todd Oryall. Her grandchildren and spouses, Jessica and Joe Lang, Jacob and Sarah Burfiend, Dane (Brittany) Blake, and Jade and Demarius Shaw. Great grandchildren, Jameson, Jonathan, and Jeffrey Lang; Tayllor and Carsten Burfiend; Daxton Blake; Kaiden and Jasiah Shaw.

Preceding her in death, she has joined angels, her daughter, Tamara Sue Blake; parents, Marshall and Marie Gunderzik; siblings, Robert (Bob) Gunderzik, Gordon Gonderzik, Audrey and her spouse Jim Persons; ex parents-in-law, George and Marie Blake, and her ex brother-in-law, Jerry Blake, Dale Vanhoosen.

It is so important that we thank the angels here on earth, the Staff, both past and present, at Cardinal Ridge. Your love and compassion will never be forgotten. A special thank you to Amber for the amazing connection you had with mom. She loved you all.

Well Mom, I hope we made you proud. We love you and miss you and we promise to take care of each other.

Family and friends will gather at Pfotenhauer Funeral Home, 1145 Cardinal Lane, Howard-Suamico location, on Tuesday, July 18 from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Although there will be no formal service at this time, we would like to take this time to remember and honor Mom. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to share a memory with us of our Mom and come to Celebrate her Life.