| Graduation Year | Class of 1972 |
| Date of Passing | Aug 12, 2020 |
| About | BIOGRAPHY PAT STEJSKAL (PAT) was born in Chicago and raised in Brookfield, Illinois, within view of Brookfield Zoo. She was later joined by her brother, Joseph Frank Stejskal III. Pat loved animals, but had a special fondness for giraffes. I’m sure almost everyone who knew her has memories of zoo visits. Pat graduated from Riverside-Brookfield High School in 1972 and Illinois State University in 1976. She taught physical education (PE) and health and coached girls’ volleyball at Argo Community High School in Summit, Illinois. Higher purposes were calling Pat. She applied and was accepted to teach at Morrison Academy in Taichung, Taiwan, an American style kindergarten through twelfth grade school for Taiwanese children and the children of missionaries. At Morrison, she taught PE and health and coached girls’ volleyball, basketball, and track from 1981 to 1984. Those three years shaped and influenced the remainder of her life. At Morrison, she became best friends with Nancy Cassell. When their Taiwan missionary service was finished, Pat and Nancy knew they had to stay together. They settled in Mundelein, Illinois, north of Chicago. Pat soon found a job with the American Red Cross teaching aquatic safety and CPR and first aid, where she worked from 1984 to 2003. Since 1985, Pat and Nancy have been continually active, dependable members of Gracepointe Church (formerly Calvary Baptist Church) in Mundelein. Together, they taught Sunday School for 12 to 15 years. There is no way to know how many young people were influenced during those years. Pat was still teaching children’s church for elementary children. After Pat left the Red Cross, no one was surprised that her path led to McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, where she worked in institutional effectiveness and professional development from 2003 until her retirement at the end of April this year. Pat’s retirement plans included all of her favorite activities, especially hiking, birding, and community volunteering. Pat was active and adventurous, to say the least. Many of us have followed the stories of Pat and Nancy canoeing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota. But they also loved to paddle in many local and state rivers. I fondly remember a short but rather challenging paddle down the Des Plaines River between Libertyville and Vernon Hills. Pat also loved hiking, birding, zip-lining, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and probably many other activities. Pat was an avid traveler for recreation, adventure, and world missions. Besides Taiwan, she and Nancy visited Canada, Mexico, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and Hong Kong. She also saw much of the United States, though there is no list of how many states she visited. Pat was a participant/fundraiser in the Northern Illinois Food Bank Foodie 5K and CROP Hunger Walk to fight hunger in Mundelein area. She also volunteered with Mundelein LUNCH (Local United Network to Combat Hunger), which serves nutritious lunches to children during the summer months. She was the leader of the Fremont Township Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) since 2013 and a member of the Fremont Township Board since 2018. Both roles were natural expressions of Pat’s commitment to helping her neighbors to have safer, healthier, happier lives. Reading tributes and remembrances of Pat on multiple Facebook pages, I collected the words and phrases that people used to describe her: kind, faithful, loyal, funny, dedicated, generous, warm, welcoming, a shining positive light, adventurous, joyful, energetic, loving, deep faith in and love for Jesus, warm smile, upbeat personality. I also collected quotes to give her grieving family and friends one place to read the wonderful things that people have said about her. “She was so positive and supportive of helping our residents and community. Her smile was infectious.” “She was a light that shined on many people’s lives!! Beautiful lady!” “Pat was everyone’s Top Fan & Cheerleader --- Be like Pat – Help someone who needs it.” “All who knew her, loved her.” “Pat, along with her very dearest friend, Nancy Cassell, showed me the love of Jesus and walked with me through many states of grasping that Jesus REALLY did love me. NO matter what. They showed me the love of Jesus during challenging valley times as well as glorious mountain times.” “Her life brought God’s presence and joy to so many.” “Pat was a beautiful Godly woman.” “The light of Christ has always shone in your [Pat & Nancy’s] hearts and touched all those around you.” “Forever will she be in my heart!” “Pat was a wonderful person, a dedicated volunteer, a great collaborator, and a positive addition to the community!” “It was always a joy working with her.” I can safely say from my own experience and based on the words of many other people that Pat Stejskal made every person feel important and valued. She was a true servant leader: no task was too big or too small for Pat to undertake with diligence and dedication. All of us join to express our deepest condolences to Pat’s parents Joe and Dorothy, brother and sister-in-law Joe and Millie, niece Sara Marie (Ben) Dirks, and nephew Joseph (Joey) F. Stejskal IV. I readily acknowledge that much, much more can and should be said about Pat, But I felt that I pressed Nancy for details as much as I dared at this time. Friends, relatives, and colleagues of Pat, please feel free to add more in the comments. The photos illustrate familiar themes of Pat’s life; I intentionally include images of only Pat and Nancy since I could not ask permission to share photos of Pat that include other people. I also limited my photo search to those that Nancy has shared, not photos from the pages of family or friends. – Laura Kelly |
