Patricia Ann Offenburger (Birdsell)

Services for Pat Offenburger will be Friday, October 21, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton. Family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at the Chariton Cemetery.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, October 20, 2022, from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m., at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Milo.

Memorials may be made to EveryStep Hospice's Kavanagh House in Des Moines.

Patricia Ann Offenburger (Birdsell), 84, of Milo, Iowa died October 18^th, 2022. She was born June 4^th, 1938, to parents William Birdsell and Pauline Ordway and her older brother Bill.

At the age of two, William and Pauline separated. Pauline, Bill, and Pat moved to Chariton, Iowa where they lived with Grandma Genevieve Ordway. Grandma Ordway was a major influence in Pat's life and watched over Bill and Pat while their mother Pauline worked two jobs.

In 1944, William Birdsell died in a train wreck. Pat and Bill were required to continue living in Lucas County due to their late father's railroad insurance policy, so they stayed with Grandma Ordway during the week and on the weekends returned to the Newbern farm. Growing up in this way made Pat a part-city and part-country girl. In 1945, Pauline married Galen Bearden.

During her childhood years, Pat attended Alma Clay Elementary/Junior High School, and was a Chariton High School graduate. She was never late for class since Grandma Ordway lived right across the street.

Pat was an active member in 4-H, the Girls Athletic Association, chorus, thespians, the Aeolian Theater Group, the Chariton Methodist Church, and was a majorette in the Chariton High School Band. Pat graduated high school in 1957 and worked in Des Moines for the next year.

On December 24^th, 1959, Pat married the love of her life, Larry Offenburger. To this marriage three children were born: David, Bradley, and Diane. Diane's health problems throughout her childhood inspired Pat to become a Certified Nurse's Aide and allowed her to assist with Diane's care. Pat began working at the Lucas County Hospital and earned her LPN in 1975. In 1980, Pat returned to school and achieved her degree as an RN. 

In 1981 Larry, Pat, and Diane moved from Chariton to Des Moines. Pat worked at several places including Des Moines General Commonwealth Care Center, Mercy Hospital, Mercy Franklin, and was the Director of Assisted Living at the Calvin Community Alzheimer Unit.

In 2005, Pat & Larry's son David had a severe motorcycle accident that required homecare. Pat took a leave of absence to help with David's rehabilitation and decided that she would not return to work and retired from her career as a nurse.  

In 2011 Pat had a severe stroke that required seven weeks of hospitalization and 13 months of therapy. During her recovery, Pat worked very hard to regain her strength and full functionality. Pat was first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2016. She underwent surgery to remove a tumor in her right lung and recovered well.

Pat lived cancer free for four years. Her cancer returned, but this time in the left lung. Treatment options were limited, but Pat chose to try immunotherapy. It was a shot in the dark, but the treatment worked for 18 months with little to no side effects. Pat was very grateful for the 18 months the immunotherapy treatment gave her.

In September of 2022, the immunotherapy stopped working and left Pat with only two very risky options. She chose neither and decided that home health care and hospice was the best choice. 

Pat enjoyed life to the fullest. She had the ability to only see the good in people and the in the world. She enjoyed spending time with family, but especially grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Pat is preceded in death by her parents William Birdsell, Pauline and Galen Bearden, grandparents Hazel and Joe Czerwin and Genevieve Ordway. In laws Neil and Vivian Offenburger, brother-in-law Don Offenburger, and niece Teresa Birdsell. Pat is survived by her husband Larry of Milo, brother Bill (Carol) Birdsell of Des Moines, son David (Helga) of Chariton, son Brad of Des Moines, and daughter Diane of Indianola. Grandchildren Tyler (Lindsey) Offenburger of Indianola, Whitley (Dustin) Crum of Murray, Ashley (Evan) Kellis of St. Joseph, Missouri, Hannah (Blake) Smith of Chariton, Brady Offenburger of Des Moines, Madison Offenburger of Washington, Iowa, Nick McDaniel of Subiaco, Arkansas, and Kaleb Offenburger of Chariton.

Great grandchildren Leah and Hudson Offenburger, Payton Offenburger, Koben and Zayden Kiger, Wyaitt and Bri Crum.

Sister-in-law Altha Offenburger, brother-in-law Ronnie (Carol) Offenburger of Arizona. Nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

Lifelong friends include Jerry and Judy McGee, Ed and Bert McDonald, Barb and Larry Bardsley, and Bob and Dee Cain. Special thanks to Gale Konrad.

The service will be livestreamed through the following link: https://my.gather.app/remember/patricia-pat-offenburger