HURON — Patricia L. Kool, 86, of Huron, passed away Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at Avantara Huron surrounded by her loving family.
Her funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Huron with burial at Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery.
Visitation, with her family present, will be from 4 to 6 p.m., Thursday at Welter Funeral Home; or one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church.
“As I grow old, it seems to me… It’s hard to control my destiny. Yet, with ups and downs, and outcomes unknown. I still can find a rhythm of my own.”
Patricia Lee Stamp was born January 6, 1936, to parents Edward and Lena (Struck) Stamp in Big Stone City. She grew up in the Wet Stone Valley area, graduating from Big Stone High School and she was the “first ever” Butter Kernel Sweet Corn Queen, as her father raised some of the best sweet corn in the state. Patt completed her college education at South Dakota State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Education, and she received a Specialist Degree in Creative and Literary Education from Northern State University. Patt was proud of her professional accomplishments in poetry which included publications in Prairie Winds, Dakota Plain and Fancy, and Pasque Petals, and national recognition in Prominent Voices in Poetry, and internal poetry society The Best Poems and Poets of 2005.
Also, Patt completed self-published works including her poetry book A Basketful of Poetry: A Kool Kronicles Collection and Reflections of the Decades.
Patt met the love of her life through her talk radio show at SDSU when Marvin C. Kool one of the “best looking guys” on campus decided to wait until she was done with the radio show to ask her out on a date after meeting her sister Donna and listening to the SDSU radio station while stationed in Germany. Patt would recall that her father made her promise she would not marry until she finished her education, and she enjoyed her studies and many dates with Marv and watching him play three sports at SDSU.
The two were joined in marriage on June 15, 1957, in Ortonville, Minn. Patt and Marv lived in Deadwood when they both taught at Lead-Deadwood High School, and a short while in Lake Benton. Minn., then moved to Huron in 1964, where Patt began her 32-year teacher career at Huron High School. She taught American Literature and Creative Writing, where she was loved by many students. Patt was an advisor for various plays and musicals, and proms. She was also active in coaching high school debate, and she was a literary judge for 17 years for the state fair, judging writing and poetry.
Patt had a passion for anything creative writing and published in several poetry books, and she enjoyed writing about the Struck/Stamp and Kool ancestry. Patt enjoyed her crossword puzzles, game show TV, romance fiction novels, her flower garden, and playing the piano. One of her most favorite accomplishments was being awarded the Teacher of the Year in 1997.
Patt loved helping raise her many grandchildren and the yearly summer trips to the Wickiup Cabins in Spearfish Canyon became a “mini” family reunion, and holidays meant all the “kids” would make it over and the “Kool Kousins” always knew how to spend their Christmas money wisely. The lake cabin was another great spot for the “Kool Klan” to meet and enjoy the summer, and still gather at Lake Byron for the 4th of July fireworks. Patt carried on the weekend ritual of watching the Vikings and Jackrabbits play football, and she always enjoyed watching Tiger Athletics and continued to keep up with the great grandchildren until her passing.
During her final years, Patt always looked forward to when the great-grandchildren and grandchildren would stop by, and even the small conversation would make her day. Patt had a special gift for listening and calming her family’s worries and made time to help anyone she could with her writing skills as she thoroughly enjoyed using her “red pen” to correct grammar and spelling. Patt was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School, and she was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma. When her children were younger, she was a brownie and girl scout leader.
Grateful for having shared in her life are her children: Vicky (Chuck) Davis of Huron, Andy (Mary) Kool of Sioux Falls, and Jonna (Eric) Zurbrigen of Huron; 11 grandchildren: Tim (Emily) Davis, Chantelle (Brandon) Kremer, Rory Reid, Dirk (Megan) Kool, Dane (Monica) Kool, Jordan (Meagan) Davis, Logan Kool, Chase Reid, Christian Kool, Cody Kool, and Justin Davis; 11 great-grandchildren; and her sister and brother-in-law, Donna (Al) Auchstetter of Texas.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband, Marv in 2009; and her son, Mark in 2017.
“It scares me to think about the day my life closes except when I think of the Garden- surely it must have roses”
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