Patricia Marie Ficken

Patricia Marie (Brin) Knipp Ficken of rural Damar, Kansas, died Sunday, July 1, 2018, at the Graham County Hospital, Hill City, Kansas. She was 84. “Pat,’’ was born on December 21, 1933, to Mary (Morin) and Oliver Brin in Damar, Kansas. She was the eighth of their eleven children. She graduated from Damar Consolidated High School, class of 1951. Pat met Charles E. Knipp at a dance in Damar. She recalled their first date to a spring wedding at which they danced quite a bit. They married November 5, 1951. They had six children. “Charlie,’’ died an untimely death February 8, 1978, at the age of 53. Pat raised their children and then married Warren Ficken of LaCrosse in October, 1995. Pat and Warren lived together on their farm near Damar until his death in January of this year. Pat remained on the farm. Pat was a member of the Catholic Diocese of Salina, St. Joseph Parish, Damar, and a former member of St. Anne’s Sodality, Damar, and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 356, Bogue. She was an Avon dealer for thirty years and a lifelong homemaker. Pat enjoyed outdoor chores such as milking cows as well as skating, dancing, gardening, babysitting, sewing and reading. She developed ataxia in her later years yet remained active and independent. She was a feisty card player, loved her family, continually gave gifts and made people laugh until the end of her life. Pat was preceded in death by an infant brother, her parents, three sisters and three additional brothers; two grandsons, a daughter-in-law and her husbands. She is survived by her younger sisters Iona Knipp, Hill City; Annette Benoit, Damar; and Sr. Diane Brin, Rome, Georgia; a daughter, Jeanice and husband Sidney Gosselin, Norton; sons: Daniel and wife Cindi, Francis, Doug and wife Lori, Rodney and girlfriend Patty Akins and Mark and wife Ann, all of Damar; 22 grandchildren; 33 great grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved her.