April 6, 1938 – April 17, 2022
Agnes Patricia “Pat” Kijewski (née Wesolowski), 84, passed away on Sunday, April 17, 2022, in Plymouth, MN, after a long illness. Her devoted husband of 64 years, Stanley, was by her side.
Pat was born and raised in Philadelphia, daughter of the late Mitchell and Agnes (Krupczak) Wesolowski. In 1958, she married Stanley Kijewski (also of Philadelphia). The couple raised their family in the greater Philadelphia area and stayed there until 2017, eventually relocating to Plymouth in 2019 to be closer to family as Pat’s health declined.
Pat devoted her life to her family. From the birth of her first child in 1959, she fully embraced the role of full-time mother, who experienced no greater joy than raising her five children. With them, she shared her unwavering faith, her deep appreciation of music, her lifelong love of cooking—at which she truly excelled—and her kind, compassionate spirit.
Defying the narrow definition of a “stay-at-home mom,” Pat was also an explorer, enjoying opportunities to travel that her own parents couldn’t have imagined. She and Stan bravely led their young “waddling duck family” on several memorable road trips, including a 23-day journey across the country in the summer of 1975. Combining one of Stan’s business trips with a family vacation, they visited White Sands National Monument and Yellowstone National Park as they traversed 18 states; they were even pursued by a tornado as they drove along Interstate 40 in Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle.
As her children grew older, Pat was able to join Stan on many of his overseas trips, visiting cities in England, France, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, and Poland, her family’s country of origin.
However, no travel was more exciting to Pat than visits to see her children; she and Stan regularly traveled across the country (and occasionally overseas) to visit them and their families. Pat especially cherished the occasions where the entire family could be together; she looked forward to family get-togethers in Arizona and California—and to family cruises touring Alaska, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Mexico.
When Pat couldn’t be with her children, she delighted in hearing their voices—she loved listening to their stories, whether extraordinary or mundane. She collected memories, counted blessings, and imparted to her children the importance of doing the same. She cherished every photo she was sent (especially ones of her children with their animals). She filled countless albums with family photos, and she ensured at least one of them was always within sight in her home. She saved every birthday card, Mother’s Day card, and thankyou note she ever received, treating each one as an irreplaceable treasure.
While her family was the focus of her affection and attention, they did not define the limits of her loving nature. She was selfless and thoughtful beyond measure, not only putting her family’s needs before her own, but generously supporting friends, neighbors, and (through the charities she supported) members of underserved communities who needed help the most.
In addition to her husband Stanley, Pat is survived by her five adoring children, Thomas, John (Linda), Ted (Michéle), Lori Griffey (Beau), and Lisa Vollmer; two grandchildren, Michael (Nadelle) and Christina; two great-grandchildren, Holden and Emerson; three sisters-in-law; two brothers-in-law; and many loving nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents and by her brother, Francis S. Wesolowski.
While her family feels an immeasurable loss in Pat’s passing, they are reassured by scripture that “in death life is changed, not ended,” and they find great comfort knowing that she is now at peace, free of suffering, and experiencing new life and joy in the presence of the Lord.
“But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:31
Pat’s memorial service will be held on Friday, May 6, 2022, at 11:00 AM at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church, 630 E. Wayzata Boulevard, Wayzata, MN, 55391, with visitation one hour prior. Interment following at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth at info@nazarethfamily.org.
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