Patricia Malecha

Patricia Ann Malecha (Goeltl), age 80 of Faribault, MN passed away on Sunday, September 20,
2020 at her home following a brief illness surrounded by her family.

Patricia (Pat) was born in St. Paul on Thursday, March 28, 1940 to Lawrence (Larry) and
Eleanor (Lefto) Goeltl. She attended St. Jerome’s Catholic School until eighth grade and then
graduated from Alexander Ramsey High School in 1958.

Pat was raised in the same home with her grandparents on Edmund Street in St. Paul and grew
up with her Aunts, Doris and Shirley. Pat had four brothers (Jack, Tom, Dan and Bill) to keep up
with and when the family was able, they built their own home on Giesmann Street in St. Paul.

On Memorial Day weekend in 1963, she met Norbert Malecha at the dance hall called Schlief’s
Little City. The story goes….Norbert asked Pat to go with him to check his car’s “radiator” and
then he kissed her! (By the way, he really did check the radiator too!) They were married on
October 10, 1964 in Maplewood, MN. Attending polka dances together became a weekend
pastime for Norbert and Pat and they continued to do this as long as dance halls were around.

Pat was raised as a “city girl” however moved to the country to live on a farm. Being a farmer’s
wife, she learned to be a ‘jack of all trades”. She raised chickens, learned to drive tractor,
tended the garden, sold fresh eggs, canned tomatoes, made strawberry jam and could fix just
about anything that would break in the house.

Pat loved traveling and a few of her favorites were Alaska, Hawaii, and the western U.S. on a
train trip with her brothers and sister-in-laws. Annual cabin trips to Rice Lake as well as visiting
Chicago and Door County with the girls, and several fishing trips up north and to Canada topped
the list.

Pat had many passions including flower gardening, reading, traveling, baking, shopping, and
family gatherings especially around the holidays. Her biggest passion was her family. She loved
her husband, Norbert, and spent all last year taking care of him during his illness without a
complaint. Pat devoted her life and all of her time to supporting her children through life’s ups
and downs and making sure they always had what they needed. Grandchildren were loved with
all her heart and brothers/sister in laws, nieces and nephews were always important to her too.
She had a huge heart and always was there for you with open arms.

Preceded in death by her husband, Norbert Malecha, brothers: John (Jack) Goeltl and Thomas
Goeltl. She is survived by children, Cathie (Dave) Underwood, Jim Malecha, Gary (Sue)
Malecha, Michelle (Jeff) Schartau, grandchildren: Caitlin and Sara Schartau and Max and Sean
Underwood; siblings, Dan (Donna) Goeltl, and Bill Goeltl: also survived by other loving family
and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, September 25, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of St. Patrick in Shieldsville, MN with Fr. Tom Niehaus officiating.  Interment will be held at St. Patrick’s Church Cemetery.  For those unable to attend, Pat’s service will be livestreamed and can be accessed on her obituary page.

Visitation will be held at the Church of St. Patrick on Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and on Friday for one hour prior to services.

Family is requesting that masks are worn at visitation and mass.

Arrangements are being completed by the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault.