Pat Wilkinson was born Patricia (Patsy) Lou Callaghan to Walter and Fern (Brooks) Callaghan on January 29, 1930 in the Barnard/Westport South Dakota area. She lived on a farm with her parents and brother, Tommy, and she enjoyed a life of fun and work with an extended family of many cousins, aunts and uncles. Her mother died when Pat was fifteen while Tommy was overseas in the Navy. She lived and kept house and helped her dad with chores and field work until she graduated from high school and left for college at Mount Marty in Yankton, SD. For several years, she returned home each summer to help her dad.
Her first teaching position was in McIntosh, SD followed by positions in Baker, MT and Glendive, MT. While teaching in Glendive, she met and married Bruce Wilkinson, who had come home from Texas to work in the oil well service company. Shortly after their marriage, the couple moved to Wolf Point, MT where their first child, Tacy, was born. Since Pat was teaching in Vida and Bruce was working oil wells in that area, they moved to Vida for five years. Their second daughter, Therese, was born while they lived there. Finally, they bought a farm in northern McCone County. It was there that their last three children were born, Shaun, Kileen and Patrick. Bruce and Pat Wilkinson lived there the rest of their lives. During that time, Pat taught at Frontier, Northside and Southside Elementary Schools until she retired in 1995. After her retirement from elementary teaching, she taught education classes at Fort Peck Community College for fifteen years. Pat retired in 2010-culminating a teaching career of fifty-four years.
Pat had a full and happy life enjoying her family, entertaining friends, and all of the farm animals and pets. She enjoyed crafts and volunteering for many community activities. She was devoted to her Catholic faith and took responsibility in all of the ministries in that church. Pat also spent several years teaching CCD in Wolf Point and the various towns where she had taught school.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bruce, in 2010, parents and brother, Tommy. She is survived by her children Tacy Strand, Therese Long (Doug Long), Shaun Wilkinson (Teri Wilkinson), Kileen Hagadone (Rusty Hagadone) and Patrick Wilkinson (Brandi Wilkinson); step children Connie Brasher and Larry Wilkinson; goddaughter Dezi Adams; grandchildren Erin Sabale (Vijeta Sabale), Teddi Anderson, Demi Wilkinson, Chandler Wilkinson, Nick Strand (Mahra Strand), Tyrell Wilkinson, Jordyn Wilkinson, Dalton Hagadone, Samantha Hagadone (Clay Kelsey) and Anamarie Long; and great grandchildren Macy Wilkinson, Camden Wilkinson, Mila Strand, Aarini Sabale and Brayleigh Kelsey.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences for the family may be left using the form below.