Patricia Ann Ocepek

She said she wasn’t going, if she couldn’t take it with her. She turned 73 in December and declared she was having a birthday month. But after a heroic battle, Patricia Ann Ocepek lost that fight on March 5, 2021. She loved to travel and had visited many countries with her friend and travel companion, Richard Welk. She loved friends and family and pushed for success from all those she loved. Education was extremely important to her and she provided all of her great nieces and nephews 500 dollars a month while they pursued college or other training. She attended college in Bozeman, MT, and received a Master’s Degree in education. She played the saxophone and participated in the Rose Bowl parade with her marching band. She also had a separate band called the Pink Panthers, an accomplishment she was proud of. Patty met her lifelong friend, Trudy Brence in high school, in Bozeman. They were friends for 54 years and attended many family events together. After teaching a few years, she decided to go into Real Estate, in which she built a successful business by herself with hard work. She met her contractor, Idaet Susak, a decade ago. They had many business adventures and in those years became close friends. She was so proud of his honesty, integrity, and friendship, that he became part of the family. She was able to save money by pinching pennies, or what some would say, being cheap. Patty preferred the word frugal instead. She was not fully retired and was a go getter to the end. She was preceded in death by her parents, Berna and Anthony Ocepek, sister Helen Dawson, niece Quincie Brown, and great nephew Justin Toland. She is survived by brother-in-law Robert Dawson of Belt, MT, niece Veronique Toland of Boise, nephew Shawn Dawson (Kelli), of Great Falls, MT, and niece Tonya Permann (Robby), of Belt, MT. She had 3 great-nieces and 4 great-nephews. She was looking forward to meeting her great, great-niece, Charlie at a nephew’s wedding in April. After spending this past Christmas with her 3 other great, great-nieces, she said that the circle of life was complete and she was so proud of them and the entire family. She didn’t like squeaky guitars, Republicans, and passwords. I was lucky to have her as my Godmother, Aunt, and friend. I am a better person because she believed in me. We would like to invite everyone to a Celebration of Life party on April 29, 2021 at Patty’s residence, 1015 E. Sothesby from noon to 8 p.m. We will be having a barbecue and landscaping party to celebrate Patty’s life. Bring your smiles, memories, and something to plant in her memory to create a memorial garden.