DIXON — It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of the soul of our family, Patricia "Pat" Ellen LeFevre, on Monday, April 14, 2025, at the age of 82. She was born on March 17, 1943, in Sterling, IL, to Clarence and Dorothy (Thome) Whaley.
She attended Dixon High School, where she met the love of her life, Leonard LeFevre. The two were married on June 15, 1960, in Nachusa, IL, and lived a happy and full life together for almost 49 years until his passing in January of 2009.
She is survived by her troublemaking children (which they in no way inherited from her) Greg (Ellen) LeFevre, Tim LeFevre, Mark (Renee) LeFevre, Vickie (Brian) McWethy, Connie Hennis; sixteen angelic grandchildren, Jennifer Tompkins, Jared (Hannah) LeFevre, Lindsey (Michael) Chavez, Kelsey (Nate) Robbins, Nathan LeFevre, Hope LeFevre, Megan (David) Boyd, Holly LeFevre, Taber (David) Albers, Trace LeFevre, Keegan (Amber) McWethy, Caleb (Tiffany) McWethy, Brianna (Chas) Shields, Mikayla (Micah) Sumner, Terry Olsen and Nichole (Zeb) Harris; numerous spoiled great-grandchildren; her brother, Jack Whaley; her sister, Donna (Virgil) Tegeler; brother-in-law, Lyle LeFevre; and various nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sister, her brother, and several brothers-and-sisters-in-law, including the other two members of “The Golden Girls.”
For a great number of years, she tended bar at Mick’s Tap while managing the bar at the American Legion. For 25 years she worked as a rural postal carrier, retiring on September 30, 2008. Several of her grandchildren were the beneficiaries of a retired “mail car” and she was so proficient at the job that one evening while watching television her husband looked over and found her sorting mail in her sleep.
She was an avid quilter. It’s estimated that she made more than 100 quilts throughout her life, many of which she gave away to her family. If you were fortunate enough to be around the house while she was setting up her quilting rack, you could count on being drafted to help. More than one grandchild could be found crawling across the quilt to pin it in place before moving it to the living room.
She made a lot of cookies–I mean A LOT of cookies. You could always be sure that there would be cookies on the counter and they were somehow replenished just as quickly as they were devoured. It was tradition for the grandkids to help grandma make them and they made just as many great memories as cookies.
Her kids were such an important part of her life. Snowmobiling, milking cows, and Fourth of July hog roasts permeate childhood memories. Once when talking about how her three boys were always up to no good, she was heard to say “If one of them didn’t think of it, the others did.” She loved her children deeply but she also wasn’t afraid to let them know when they were “number one.” She was very proud of her children and supported them in everything.
Fab-gram, Grandma, Grandma Pat–she was everyone’s grandma. The world has hardly before known a love like she had for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as many of their friends who came to think of her as their own grandma. With leftovers in the fridge and an offer to make you dinner, when you were with Grandma you were never hungry. She was so proud of each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was known to tell stories about and share the accomplishments of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with anyone who was around (and sometimes she’d tell you twice).
She lived life lovingly serving those around her. She always put everyone else first, jumping up at the first hint that there was something she could do for you, and very often had to be ordered into a chair to relax–though, like her kids, you often had to tell her multiple times.
She was quick to laugh, she gave the warmest hugs, and she will be missed by us all.
A Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Preston-Schilling Funeral Home in Dixon. The Funeral Service will be held the following day at 10:00 am on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at Preston-Schilling Funeral Home in Dixon, with Pastor Brian Tribley, officiating. Burial will be to follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Dixon.
A memorial has been established.
Arrangements were completed by Preston-Schilling Funeral Home in Dixon.
Condolences may be sent to www.prestonschilling.com.
