Patricia Ann (Case) Burckel

Patricia Ann (Case) Burckel passed away Monday, November 14th, 2022, at her home. Born Thursday, April 8th, 1943, in Louisville, Kentucky, Pat was the daughter of Roberta May (Bentley) and Carl Coleman Case. She began life in the horse country near Lawrenceburg, KY, with her older brother Carl T., where they lived in a modest sharecropper house located on the Case farm. Her father and uncles were true horsemen and showed horses in such lofty confines as Madison Square Garden. The family eventually moved to the West End of Louisville, KY when Pat was still young and proved you can take the girl out of the country but couldn't take the country out of the girl. Her fondest memories were of spending summers back out on the farm riding horses with cousins and the extended Case family.

Pat played the accordion and attended Shawnee High School. As her accordion skills grew, so did her exposure. She entertained with the USO while she was in high school, culminating with her first plane trip ever, to an Army base in the south. She met her future husband, William Paul Burckel, thanks to Boy Scott Troop 198 which her brother belonged to. Enamored with his rock and roll chops with the Kool Kats, and tickled she could beat Bill at ping pong, they would marry upon his commissioning in the United States Air Force.

Pat was a devoted wife and mother, making a home for her three boys wherever the Air Force stationed them. She collected lifelong friends throughout their Air Force career, keeping in touch across the years. Pat loved family history and never lost touch with her roots in Kentucky. She was a country neighbor to all that crossed her path.

Her greatest joy would be as Grandma to her seven grandchildren, a role she was born to play. She lived vicariously through them, communicating regularly with each one, and ensuring the rest of the family was kept abreast of their successes. One might say she was all the social media we needed. Pat enjoyed basking in the role of family matriarch, presiding over the Christmas holiday gatherings, which grew into an elaborate event, driven by her zeal as one of Santa's foremost elves. Always in-the-know, Pat learned that she had a great-granddaughter on the way the day before her passing.

Pat is survived by her husband Bill, and her three children; Bill (Bonnie), of Colorado Springs, CO; Bob of El Paso TX; Bruce (Lisa), of Albuquerque NM; and 7 grandchildren: William/Billy (Alyssa Spomer) Burckel of Bremerton, WA, Jessica/Jessie Burckel (Matthew) Balderston of Midland, TX, Benjamin/Ben (Riva Parikh) Burckel of Seattle, WA, Joseph Burckel of Oregon, OH, Lauren Burckel of Albuquerque, NM, Ciaran Burckel of Albuquerque, NM and Colin Burckel of Albuquerque, NM.

Pat is preceded in death by her parents and her brother.

No formal services are planned.