Patricia Batcheler Obituary

Patricia (Pat) Lee Batcheler, 80, passed away Wednesday, December 29, 2021, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, January 7, 2022, at Iles Grandview Park Funeral Home.
Patricia was born on March 18, 1941 in Florida to Winnifred Wright and Capt. Donald Higgins. As a daughter of a military family whose father was a naval attaché to Israel, Pat moved almost every year of her childhood and lived in many countries including Guam, Israel, Italy, and Lebanon. She attended American University in Beirut, graduated from George Washington University, and worked for the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C. She became a preacher’s wife and a teacher, then retired from John Deere Health Care.
Sewing was Pat’s passion. She designed and sewed costumes for the community theater and made all the bridesmaid dresses for her daughter's wedding. Other favorite sewing projects included a myriad of Halloween costumes, a prom dress, and mommy-and-me outfits for the kids and grandkids. She had a cake decorating hobby where she sold her creations and made her children's high school graduation and wedding cakes.
Pat was a fierce, feisty, and loyal wife, mom, and gammy, who loved unconditionally and welcomed as many chosen family into her circle as related family. Eager for her children to learn a broader world perspective, she hosted foreign exchange students from various countries, including Malaysia, Jamaica, Ukraine, China, and Spain.
Pat was a strong advocate of her husband's ministry. She led women's circles, sang in the choir, performed in the bell choir and taught Sunday school.
Pat was passionate about international affairs. She was opinionated and taught her children to question, read, think, dream, and always believe that they could be and do anything they imagined. Unbeatable in nearly all board and card games, she was a grammarian, voracious reader, book club lover, and member of the P.E.O. sisterhood, working to help women advance through education.
Patricia is survived by her husband of 54 years, Dale Batcheler; two children, Tom Batcheler and Catharine (Dan) Harms; grandchildren, Abigail Harms, Jack Harms, and Brayten (Alexis) Batcheler; great-grandchild, Charlotte Batcheler; and brother, Donald Higgins.
Contributions may be made to the Altoona United Methodist Church or the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Online condolences will be welcomed at IlesCares.com.

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