Obituary
Patricia Mae (Kelley) Langteau
Patricia Mae (Kelley) Langteau,94, of French Island, passed away on Friday, March 6, 2026, at her home.
She was born on May 4, 1931, to Mae (Jagemann) and James Kelley in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where she was raised. There she also met the love of her life, Palmer Joseph Langteau, whom she married on October 17, 1949, in the Army Chapel in Fort Riley, Kansas, where Palmer was in basic training. They raised nine children together in Milwaukee, before eventually retiring to Iron Mountain/Kingsford MI, where Palmer passed away in 2008.
In 2009, Patricia moved to French Island to live a few doors down from her son, David (and wife, Terry) Langteau, who served as her faithful, daily caregivers since that time, enabling Patricia to live in her home to the end. Further support was provided regularly by her daughters Paula (and husband, Leo Hodlofski), Lily (and husband, Mike Pearson), and Linda (and husband, Carlos Mont), as well as her grandchildren, Evie (and Chris) Harrison, Kristina Langteau, and John (and Kathy) Langteau. She also was grateful for her wonderful extended family, including Bethea and Cody Teslow, and Sheila and Haley Tebo.
Special thanks to BrightStar Care (esp. Alice, who developed a special bond with Pat), Gundersen Hospice, The Aging and Disability Resource Center of La Crosse County and to Olivet Lutheran Church for their wonderful caring staff and volunteers, respectively providing nursing care, bringing daily senior meal service, offering communion/visitation and extending overall support.
Patricia loved the Lord, and her faith guided her life. She listened daily to messages by Pastor Charles Stanley and read Our Daily Bread. Her heart’s desire was for all to know the Lord. She was a blessing to all who knew and loved her, and she prayed for everyone daily. She showed her love in big and small ways to all she came in contact with, including preparing bags of chocolates to give to everyone who came to her door, from mail carriers to invited guests. With the assistance of Jane Hoolihan (a beloved
volunteer at ADRC), Patricia’s generosity spread to providing bags of chocolates for all those on the La Crosse Senior Meals delivery route, an ongoing labor of love which became fondly known as “The Patricia Project.”
Patricia was preceded in death by her husband, Palmer (1928-2008); son, Joseph (1954-1957) and daughter, Joanne (1957-2012), and followed closely in death by her daughter, Madelyn (1952-2026), who passed the following day. She is survived by six of her nine children: Laura, David, Linda, James, Lily, and Paula, as well as the families of all her children, including numerous grandchildren, and great grandchildren; her niece, Chris Kelley; and a community of loving friends and neighbors.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Olivet Church. There will be fellowship with a light lunch to follow. Pat never cared for cut flowers as they reminded her of loss. Thus, in lieu of flowers, she wished to encourage people to contribute to the charity of their choice, to care for the living.
Condolences may be made to the family at CouleeCremation.com.
My Sincere Prayers and Condolences to the family. I have only met her daughter, Paula, who is the kindest, person ever; I’m sure she gets it from her Beautiful Mother! Rest in Heaven, Mrs Langteau!
dave. May the peace that passes all understanding guard and keep you hearts in Christ Jesus
Dave, my condolences to you and your family on the passing of your beloved mother.
Dear Langteau family, I am so sorry for your loss. Pat was a truly wonderful and kind neighbor. Elise still remembers the day she was holding her bird and Pat invited her in. All three kids remember her wonderful homemade oatmeal cookies. Every year when we light up the big pine tree, we will honor Pat and always remember the joy she took in seeing it. May Pat rest in paradise and may you all take comfort in the wonderful memories. She sure left a legacy in all of you.
Mom’s Eulogy – delivered by daughter Paula Langteau on June 13, 2026 at Olivet Lutheran Church, LaCrosse, WI
Mom was beloved by her community, wherever she lived. She cared about everyone she met. Genuinely cared. She was interested in your story and prayed for you and your family. Even at the end, when she was on hospice, in pain, and on her last breaths, she only wanted to know how YOU were doing. And your family. And what you needed.
She was Love – personified.
Just one small example: years ago, I visited for Thanksgiving with my houseful of international students. She learned all their names and stories. She wrote them down. She asked about them for years afterwards, by name. She continued to pray for them daily. They became family the moment they stepped into her life. She was like that with everyone. You’re here today because she touched your life too. You are family.
Many of you know her as a prayer warrior. She was that, every day, and so much more. She lived fully in every moment God gave her. And she gave. She gave of herself and her limited resources. You didn’t leave her house without a meal, a $10 bill, or at least a bag of chocolates.
My goal in life, even at my age still, is to be at least a fraction of the amazing woman –and Mom— she was.
We all know that children share the genes of their parents and reflect some of their qualities. I read somewhere recently that the opposite is also true in Mothers. That when they gestate and give birth to a child, their cells are permanently altered to carry the signature of that child for the rest of their lives. So, we children are not just imprinted on our Moms, but our Mom’s carry our cellular signatures.
Mom gave to the point of sacrifice. She made sure everyone had something to eat, something to wear, was safe, had the means financially to travel safely home. She cared for us continuously. Well, that’s my brother Dave.
She also had a mischievous, silly, carefree, and downright sassy side. She set you at ease and then cracked you up. She found something funny in her storytelling—about the squirrel in the bird feeder (or Quirley, as she called him) or the latest antic of a great grandchild. She gave Love a heartwarming and joyfully playful side. That’s definitely Lily.
Mom was Wicked Smart. All of us children benefited from that. But her love of playing with language is a quality I definitely share. She was her own unique version of Mrs. Malaprop, calling asparagus “Asper-grass” and umbrellas “Bumba-shoots.” Cleverly disguised mnemonics turned cappuccinos into “Cup-of-Chinos” (which she liked better from the gas station machine than the coffee shop). Thailand became “Thigh-Land”, and fibromyalgia “Fibro-Malasia.” She always made it both memorable & fun.
But some of you may not know the little things that have always been 100% Mom: her Dad died when she was just 3 years old. She said her strongest memory of him was when he gave her her dog, Curlie. She has always loved dogs. Any dog. Every dog. An encounter with a dog brightened her day.
But she also hated wreaths, because one was hung on the door when her Dad died. And she equally disliked cut flowers, because they are cut only to die very quickly.
Mom was about life.
She loved the smell of Lily of the Valleys (a flower brought to her by the nurses when my brother Joey was born). She disliked the smell of Lavender. I don’t know that there’s any story there, but she did NOT like that scent.
She loved Donut Holes, Whopper Juniors, Ice Cream Sandwiches, and Lemon Pie. I hope you think of her every time have any of those.
She loved Rummage Sales (especially finding a great deal). She was resourceful. She raised nine children on cases of dented canned goods from Railroad Salvage and lots of love. She made the drapes and the duvet cover for my childhood bedroom – out of bed sheets. She could find solutions to any problem with a rummage find, a needle and thread, and a dose of creativity. We never wanted for anything.
She loved Daily Walks. Even housebound at the end, she never stopped walking to and from the bedroom, living room, and bathroom.
Mom was motion and action to the very end.
She lived a life full of inspiration. She leaves us with that.
I imagine her today on her daily walks with Curlie by her side. She is reunited with her beloved Father and Mother, our Dad, sisters Joanne & Madelyn, and brother Joey. They are surrounded by chocolates and Love— or should I say “Lovelates” or “Chocoloves”? Be sure to pick up your bagful before you leave today. Love you, Mom!