Obituary of Patricia Faye Kneeland

Patricia Faye Rock was born April 12, 1949 in Wetaskwin to parents Arthur and Ilene Rock and became baby sister “Patsy” to Donna Mae. As a young girl, Pat moved with her parents to Bashaw, Alberta, where Art worked for Normie Holt as a mechanic. Later, they moved to Ribbon Creek near Seebe. Two more children joined the family while they lived in the Kananaskis country. Pat remembered the bears coming up to the house and looking into the windows or trying to slip into the porch. Dad (Art) would scare them away before the kids could go out and play. The family moved to Stettler when Pat was about 5 yrs old. There, three more little boys joined the family. Pat attended school at Waverly to grade five, then Botha and graduated from William E. Hay High School. She truly loved school; while in high school she curled and took the high school curling team to the provincial level. She passed on the curling bug to each of her children, curling with the Donalda Curling Club as a family team for many years. The children and some grandchildren carry on this tradition. Pat always loved horses; she would run home from school, change and be down to the other end of Botha, in record time, to help Babe Lauder and Smitty, walk, ride, wash, and do whatever she could with the horses. This carried on for many years before she started working with chuck wagon horses. Uncle Ken drove wagon for Bob Cosgrave and Newell brothers and whenever the chance came she would be walking horses after the race. She followed the wagons for many years; listening to the radio announcer call each heat, when she couldn’t be at the race. Even when she worked with the County of Stettler Housing Authority, she would take several of the residents to the wagon races at Ponoka and you could guarantee there would be bets taken before each race. Not too sure how the outcome was but she was in her glory. She and Uncle Ken had a special bond over the races and the horses. Pat started working in the A.E. Kennedy Hospital after school hours during her high school years. This grew into her love for nursing. When she completed high school she moved to Edmonton to attend Nursing Aid School. She graduated from nursing and worked at the Charles Campsell Hospital in Edmonton, taking care of the pediatric native children from the far north, she was able to fly in and out with the Native Services Airplane, accompanying several of her patients back to their parents. She became very attached to these young children and would often make special arrangements to take them home with her for weekend visits when she had days off. Wedding bells were ringing when she met Ray Kneeland from the Donalda area on a blind date that was set up by Sandra (myself). Pat and Ray were married in the Bethany Church north of Donalda on August 24th , 1968. She was welcomed into the Kneeland family by Catherine and Ervin, along with Ray’s sisters and brothers: Shirley, Charles, Rita, Gene, Susan, and Carman. Before long they started their own family: Matthew and Teresa were born in Edmonton and in April 1974, Pat and Ray left the big city lights for the night stars of rural Alberta when they bought the Cook farm, back in the area where Ray was raised. In 1975 Clinton was born in Camrose, and in 1976, Jodi in Bashaw. Pats children were her passion; she attended every volleyball, basketball, hockey games, badminton, curling, piano, dance or whatever they were involved in. She drove school bus and transported the Donalda School Band all over the province and into Saskatchewan, so she could be with her children. She was so proud of each of them and over the years welcomed the young men and ladies that eventually joined the family as her daughters and sons-in-law. Pat started working in Municipal Affairs, with the village of Donalda, then moved on to the County of Stettler office. Then joined the County of Stettler Housing Authority as lodge assistant manager, became manager and then CAO. She initiated many advances and upgrades to the seniors’ lodges in Stettler for the well-being of the residents in Heart Haven, Willow Creek and Paragon Place. She loved working with the senior’s and for the betterment of their lives. She moved into Senior’s Housing and Urban Affairs at the Provincial level in Edmonton before she had to leave work after being diagnosed with cancer. Pat loved the sunrises and the sunsets that country life brought, she and Ray gardened and planned yearly what the colour scheme of the flowers would be, in and around the gardens that make the yard the show place that it is today. The fire pit that was built in the yard where she could enjoy the evenings around the fire and wiener roasts, while listening to the frogs and crickets and watching the grandchildren play by the tree house and sandbox. There was never a moment when she did not have the time for her grandchildren; they were truly the love of her life. Even in the hospital when you thought she was asleep one of the kids would make a noise and she would know which one of them it was. She had a special bond with each one of them. Pat enjoyed the many celebrations and card parties that took place in the old Ibsen school across the road from her home. She spent many happy hours there with family and friends and loved it when the old building got an exterior dress-up a few years ago. Pat also had a special gift for decorating cakes. She decorated many birthday, wedding, and anniversary cakes for family and friends. She also loved photography, and had hundreds of pictures to display her talent. She won many ribbons at the local bench fair for her photos. Her special passion was collecting nativity sets. She has approximately 130 sets, many of which have come from different parts of the world. Some are on display here today at her request the one that she cherished the most sits atop her casket this particular one was made by her dear friend Rose Wesner. Thank-you Rose. Another of Pats loves was the opportunity to have spent some time in a family owned home located in the Sparking Waters resort in Desert Hot Springs California. This was an opportunity she only ever dreamed of and thought could never happen. When it was able to happen it made her very very happy. Her greatest wish was to be able to have her children and grandchildren there with her. This has been unable to happen but she will be smiling down from heaven when it does. Pat volunteered for many different things in the Donalda community over the years and won many awards for her participation. Some of the organizations she volunteered for included Bethany Church, Donalda & District Agricultural Society, Donalda and District Museum Society, Donalda Art society, disaster services, Donalda Volunteer Fire Department, and Bashaw Victim Services. She was an organizer and an inspirer in any situation that presented itself. She was very strong willed, seldom backing down and made sure things got done. Pat loved Bethany Church where she was married, where each of the children were baptized and confirmed, but it is her faith in God that has carried her through life, especially the last two years, while she has battled cancer. The Bethany Church family had a special place in her heart, and they were a very real source of love, and support especially during her illness. She was predeceased by her father Art Rock; her sister Donna Morgan; father-in-law Ervin Kneeland; sisters-in-law Shirley Peterson and Rita Kneeland; and many other family members that welcomed her into God’s home. She leaves to cherish her memory; her loving husband Ray; her mother Ilene Stewart; her children; Matthew (Kathleen) Kneeland, Teresa Kneeland (Chad Whiteside), Clinton (Tannis) Kneeland; and Jodi (Garry) Blouin; her beloved grandchildren: Nathanael, Anna, Meagan, Molly, Brendan, Patrick, Andrew, Lauryn, William, Clay, Hannah, Porter, Emily and Zachary. Her brothers and sister: Herb (Kathy)Rock, Verna Rock, Barry (Robyn) Rock, Stephen (Janie) Rock, and David (Laurie) Rock; her mother -in-law Catherine Kneeland; her brothers in law and sisters in law Don Peterson, Charles (LeeAnne) Kneeland, Gene (Lynn)Kneeland, Susan ( Terry) Dahl, and Carman (Steven) Baker; many cherished nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, special cousins and many, many dear friends. She acquired a special group of friends that she referred to “as my hero’s.” The list is long and you will see them in the video we will watch later some of them are here today as participants in this celebration of life, that she was so blessed to have known you and that she valued your friendships to the very end. On her birthday after we sang Happy Birthday to her, she replied, “I am so blessed and you have all been the rocks in my life.” We would have loved to have had Pat with us longer but God called her home to a place free of suffering and pain. She will be deeply missed by so many but will be a wonderful memory to us all until the day that we join her again with Jesus in heaven. God Bless her soul.