Patricia Ann Darling

Patricia "Pat" Ann (Hawes) Darling passed away on April 23, 2026. She was born on March 6, 1939, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the seventh child of Leo and Katherine (Manton) Hawes. She grew up in the Irish community of Wexford, Iowa. Her elementary education was in a one room schoolhouse. She graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in Lansing, Iowa in 1957. After graduation, she was employed by the Lansing Company "Button Factory." On June 27, 1959, Pat married John "Jack" Darling at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lansing. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters, Julie and Jane. She was employed by Trane Company for twenty years and retired in 1998.

 at was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She cherished her family and enjoyed all the wonderful times they shared, especially camping. Reunion vacations with her siblings and spouses were an annual favorite. She was very proud of her Irish heritage, and in 1996, Pat and Jack enjoyed a vacation in Ireland. They also spent several winters together in Mesa, Arizona. She was an avid photographer and was especially proud of the photos she captured of sunsets and flowers. She loved to read, cook, sew, and trace her family roots.

Pat was a member of St. Thomas More / Mary, Mother of the Church parish since 1959. She was active in the parish and enjoyed serving in many volunteer positions. She loved the camaraderie of parish life, especially the semi-annual chicken-ques. For many years, she created beautiful holiday greeting cards for parish shut-ins. In 2005, she was honored by her fellow parishioners as "Woman of the Year." She was a long-time member of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. She was devoted to prayer and saying the rosary, this suited her well in her role as a Prayer Partner in the FSPA Adoration Chapel at Saint Rose Convent.

Pat is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Jack; daughters, Julie (Kevin) Sutter of Rochester, MN, and Jane (Michael) Vogel of La Crosse; grandchildren, Heidi (Joel) Coleman, Heather (Nico) Costa, Jenna (Riley) Miller, and Jonathan (fiancée Ruth Isenberg) Vogel; great-grandsons, Henry and Noah Coleman, Emmett Costa, and Asher Miller; siblings, Romona "Mona" Mullarkey, Leo "Bud" Hawes, and Alice Wood; sister-in-law, Maxine Hawes; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Katherine Hawes; siblings, William Hawes, Eleanor Corrigan, Dolores Hawes, and Robert Hawes; parents-in-law, Melvin and Mildred Darling; sister-in-law, Isabelle Hawes; and brothers-in-law, Charles Corrigan, Carl Mullarkey, and Raymond Wood.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 8, 2026, at 11:00 am at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, 2006 Weston Street, with Rev. Brian Konopa officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 10:00 am until the time of Mass. Entombment will take place at the Garden of Peace Mausoleum in Mormon Coulee Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be donated to Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Aquinas Catholic Schools, or Gundersen Medical Foundation - Cancer Research Fund.