Fourth Generation

23. Patricia M. GAGE was born on 8 April 1931 in Camp Douglas, Cutler Township, Juneau County, WI.³¹ She died on 20 August 2012 at the age of 81 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³¹

Obituary Notes: "Patricia M. Dechant, 81, of Tomah, passed away Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, at Tomah Memorial Hospital. She was born April 8, 1931, to Albert and Charlotte (Vinney) Gage on the family farm near Camp Douglas. She was a 1949 graduate of Tomah High School. Following high school she worked for Teachers Retirement in Madison for a few years before going to work at Truax Air Force Base in Madison, where she spent three years.

On June 10, 1953, she met her future husband, Lawrence Dechant, at a dance in the Oakdale Community Hall; they have been together ever since. They were united in marriage May 19, 1954, at St. James Catholic Church in Camp Douglas. Together they farmed in Coles Valley for a year and then south of Oakdale for a year before purchasing the Gage family farm near Camp Douglas in 1956. She worked 27 years of federal service at Fort McCoy in the personnel department, retiring July 1, 1988. Patricia and Larry farmed until 2009, when they sold the farm to their son, David.

She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who was proud to have her family at her side wherever she went, whether it was going out to eat as a family or traveling together. She and Larry were able to travel to every state except Alaska and also took a trip to Rome in the 1990s. They spent the winters in Arizona and Texas. Patricia was very active in the church. She served as president in the St. James and St. Mary's P.C.C.W organizations and was on the cookbook committee.

She is survived by her husband, Larry, of Tomah; two sons, Gary (Christi) Dechant of Camp Douglas and David (Sara) Dechant of Camp Douglas; grandchildren Zachariah Dechant of Camp Douglas, Jessica Dechant of Los Angeles, Brett (Erik) Gulbranson of Gillette, Wyo., Laura Dechant of La Crosse, Melissa (Tim) O'Neill of Galesville, David (Emily) Dechant of Minneapolis, Ashley Dechant of Andrews Air Force Base and Erin Dechant of Sparta; great- grandchildren Rory and Reagan O'Neill, Brailyn Gulbranson and one great-grandson on the way; nieces; nephews; other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Arlene (Francis) Ruland and Bernice (George) Jilek.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday (today), Aug. 23, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Tomah. Monsignor Richard Gilles will officiate. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery."

.

Patricia M. GAGE and Lawrence "Larry" DECHANT were married on 19 May 1954 in Camp Douglas, Cutler Township, Juneau County, WI.³¹ Lawrence "Larry" DECHANT was born (date unknown).

Patricia M. GAGE and Lawrence "Larry" DECHANT had the following children: