Patricia Ann Kowitz

Patricia Ann (Kotten) Kowitz, 79, of Norwalk, passed away Saturday, November 7, 2020, at her home with family by her side. She was born August 23, 1941, Henry and Mary (Wacker) Kotten in Sleepy Eye, MN.

Patricia fell in love and married her high school sweetheart, Jim Kowitz on July 13, 1963. Together they lived in Lyons Valley in Norwalk and built a beautiful life together farming, milking cows and raising beef. They had five beautiful children, Mary Jo, John, Carolyn, Colleen and Wendy. They were very active in their community and enjoyed watching their kids show cattle at the local, state and county fairs.

Patricia loved to cook; she was the master at whipping up a red velvet cake before it was cool. She loved a good fish fry and an old fashion. Patricia loved to look fancy and dress up for an occasion. She had an infectious laugh and loved spending time with her family. Patricia was a loving, helping, forgiving person and was a beautiful soul. She was a devout catholic and a member of St. Mary’s Ridge Catholic Church.

Patricia is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Jim Kowitz; four children, Carolyn (George) Mack, John (Lori) Kowitz, Colleen (Todd) Swenson and Wendy Harris; 16 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and sister, Kathleen (Ronald) Stoikes.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Mary Kotten; a daughter, Mary Jo Kowitz-Downing; her siblings, Jim (Pat), Cletus (Joyce) Kotten, Bernard (Bonnie) Kotten and Marilyn (Bill VanSlyke); father and mother in law, Loren and Muriel Kowitz.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 12, at St. Mary’s Ridge Catholic Church, with Fr. Michael Klos officiating and Fr. Eric Berns concelebrating. Burial will follow in St. Augustine’s Catholic Cemetery, Norwalk.

Visitation for Patricia will be held on Wednesday, from 5-8 p.m. at the Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home, Sparta, and at the church on Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. until the time of Mass. Online condolences may be offered to the Kowitz family at www.schanhoferfh.com.

The Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home, Sparta, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.

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