Obit: Wesenberg, Patricia “Pat” A. (1960 - 2021)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Wesenberg, Slesar, Schweitzer, O’Keefe, Soppeland, Pasciak, Short

----Source: Marshfield News-Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., WI) 2/18/2021

Wesenberg, Patricia “Pat” A. (21 April 1960 – 12 February 2021)

Patricia "Pat" A. Wesenberg, 60, of Stevens Point, died on Friday, February 12, 2021, at her home surrounded by family after a two-year journey with cancer. A celebration of life will be held this summer.

Pat was born April 21, 1960 in Black River Falls to Lawrence and Genevieve "Genny" (Slesar) White. She graduated from Granton High School ('78). She married Randy Wesenberg on August 8, 1981.

She began her long and successful credit union career with Central City Credit Union in Marshfield as a teller in 1981 and within 10 years was promoted to Vice President of Lending. In 1994, she became the President and Chief Executive Officer of Point Plus Credit Union in Stevens Point. In 2008, she became President of Central City Credit Union when it merged with Point Plus Credit Union, eventually becoming the President and CEO of what is today Simplicity Credit Union, the role she served until she retired in 2020. A determined lifelong learner, she earned a BS in Management and an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University in 2015.

Although Pat was more impressed by the accomplishments of others, she received many honors and awards for her contributions as a professional and to the community. In 1997, she received the first ever "Professional of the Year" award by the WI Credit Union League (and again in 2002). She was elected to the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Board of Directors in 2005 and eventually served as CUNA Board Chair in 2013. In 2014, she was inducted to the Credit Union Leader Hall of Fame. Pat became a Credit Union Development Educator (DE) in 2007, volunteering as a mentor to young credit union professionals across the globe. She served on the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF) Board of Directors, including two years as Vice-Chair her selection as Board Chair in 2020. She served as Chair of the Portage County United Way annual fundraising drive, Executive Committee Member of the Portage County Business Council and the Board Secretary of the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MACCI). She was awarded the MACCI Service Award in 2020.

Although her fierce competitive nature propelled her to greatness, it was her ability to handle any outcome with grace that led to her success as a leader and made her a special person and friend to so many who knew her. Pat led a life driven by service to others. She strove to shift the spotlight away from herself to those around her, motivated everyone she met to do and be better, and went out of her way to make sure everyone felt included and important. She was as generous as she was humble and preferred every act of service she performed to fly under the radar (whether paying for groceries for the person ahead of her in line struggling to come up with the total, or leading fundraising drives that exceeded the goal).

Pat was an avid world traveler who loved meeting new people and trying new things. Through her DE role for NCUF and volunteer work for the World Council of Credit Unions, she facilitated professional development and provided mentorship to credit union professionals in Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, England, and the Dominican Republic. She enjoyed being active throughout her life, including playing softball and volleyball, golfing and hiking. Pat loved to bargain hunt and couldn't resist stopping at a garage sale just to see what might be there. She took pride in learning how to do or fix things herself and never shied away from a DIY project, big or small. Most of all, she took great joy from entertaining and spending time with family, especially her granddaughters, at the cabin around the campfire or tubing or kayaking down the river.

She is survived by her husband, daughters Darcia (Michael) Schweitzer of Columbus and Megan (Justin O'Keefe) Wesenberg of Denver, and grandchildren, Anikka and Sloane Schweitzer. She is further survived by her sister, Marlene (David) Soppeland, and brothers, David (Diane) White, Robert (Lisa) White, Charles White, Joseph White, John White, Lawrence (Lisa) White, William (Mary) White, and Michael (Valerie) White, her mother-in-law, Constance "Connie" Wesenberg, sisters-in-law, Tina (Mike) Pasciak and Becky (William) Short, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother, father, and father-in-law, Merlyn "Sam" Wesenberg.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Pat's memory can be made to an organization she passionately supported and volunteered for, United Way: www.marshfieldareaunitedway.org.

Mid Wisconsin Cremation Society is assisting family at this time. Online condolences may be expressed at www.HonorOne.com.