Patricia “Pat/Patty” (Bower) Wade, 10 Dec 1938 - 02 Jun 2026

WADE, BOWER, JOHNSTON, SCOTT, AICHELLE, WARREN, BARNETT

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 6/10/2026 at 14:14:28

Patricia “Pat/Patty” Wade, 87, of Iowa City, passed away peacefully on the evening of June 2, 2026, at Highland Ridge in Williamsburg, Iowa, surrounded by her family.

A rosary will be recited at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City. Visitation will follow from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Iowa City. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery.

Pat was born on December 10, 1938, in Washington, Iowa, to Fred and Edith (Johnston) Bower and was their first child. The Bower family lived in an apartment behind the bank on Main Street in Kinross, Iowa and she considered this her childhood home. Pat was active in student government at English Valleys High School in North English where she was a member of the Prom Court. Following graduation, along with her cousin and a friend, enrolled at Gale Institute in Minneapolis, MN to become airline ticket agents.

Pat returned to Iowa and met the love of her life, Ron Wade, at the DanceMor Ballroom in Swisher on a Saturday night. Wanting to impress her despite not being much of a dancer, Ron quietly loosened the spark plugs on her friend's car, then came to the rescue when it would not start and became their hero by “fixing” the problem himself. The story became the beginning of a lifelong partnership of love and laughter.

Pat and Ron were united in marriage on October 27, 1962, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Millersburg, Iowa. The newlyweds settled in Minneapolis before deciding to return to Iowa to be closer to family after the birth of their first child. They made their home in Iowa City for more than 50 years, where they raised their family and built a successful drywall business together.

While raising her children, Pat volunteered with St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church’s Altar & Rosary Society, helping support the parish and clergy. She especially enjoyed late-night preparations for parish fundraising dinners, often gathering in the church kitchen at midnight with fellow church ladies to bake kolaches, the church traditional pastry.

Once her children were in school, Pat began working as a teacher associate in several elementary schools within the Iowa City Community School District. She especially loved working with younger students and spent more than 25 years in education, touching countless young lives. Many former students remained in contact with her long after they reached adulthood.

A devoted daughter and daughter-in-law, Pat and her family spent every Sunday visiting both her parents in Kinross and her mother-in-law, Ila Wade, near Holbrook. Family reunions, holiday celebrations, and gatherings were important and central to her life, and she and Ron hosted many memorable occasions in their home.

Pat retired in 2003 to spend more time traveling with Ron. Together they enjoyed their 1958 Chevrolet Impala and were active members of the Classy Chassy Cruisers classic car club. They attended car shows and cruises throughout the United States, often with Ron’s brother, John and his wife Betty. Pat and Ron formed lasting friendships, collected many awards and trophies, and created cherished memories along the way.

They began to travel internationally to visit their son, Brian, and daughter-in-law, Carrie, while they lived in Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland, and enjoyed domestic trips to see their daughters in New York City and Portland, Oregon.

Following Ron’s death in 2006, Pat continued her involvement with the Classy Chassy Cruisers. She frequently greeted participants from the registration table at summer car cruises at Coral Ridge Mall and remained an enthusiastic supporter of the club’s events. She especially enjoyed the annual Halloween parties, where she and her friends delighted in dressing as 1950s teenyboppers or Catholic nuns.

Pat continued her adventures through Hills Bank group tours and cruises with friends. One of her favorite trips was to Ireland, where she proudly kissed the Blarney Stone. She also shared a special trip to Paris with her daughter Rhonda, where they visited Notre-Dame Cathedral and enjoyed a proper chocolate croissant together.

She treasured friendships and looked forward to their weekly Taco Tuesday dinners, Wednesday breakfasts at Midtown Family Restaurant, and The Goosetown Investment club meetings. Pat generously supported causes close to her heart with fundraising walks and campaigns, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Iowa City Hospice.

Even after moving into senior living, Pat remained active and engaged. She participated in painting and drumming classes, performed in handbell concerts, attended musical and community events, and enjoyed weekly games of Kings Corner cards with friends. She also loved cheering on the University of Iowa Hawkeyes' football and women’s basketball teams with her son Chad and proudly wore her favorite Hawkeye shirt to every game watch.

Above all, Pat was a loving and devoted wife, mother, sister, aunt, and grandmother. She was especially proud of her grandchildren, Liam and Margaux Wade, and found great joy in their accomplishments. Nothing made her smile more than hearing them call her “Oma Pat”.

Pat is survived by her children, Rita Wade of New York City, NY; Brian Wade (Carrie Scott) of Basel, Switzerland; Paula Wade (Tom Aichelle) of Portland, Oregon; Rhonda (Kevin) Warren; and Chad Wade, both of Iowa City; her grandchildren, Liam and Margaux Wade; her siblings, Rita (Dallas) Barnett, Charles (Mariellen) Bower, and Bruce Bower; sisters-in-laws Elaine Bower, Mary Lou Bower and Elizabeth “Betty” Wade; and many beloved nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Edith Bower; her husband, Ron Wade; her brothers, Bernie Bower and Ed Bower; and her nephew Bert Wade and nephew and godson, Mike Bower.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice or the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Published on Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service website, an abbreviated version was printed in The Gazette on June 6, 2026.