Patricia Battin

PATRICIA A. BATTIN

Cedar Rapids

Patricia A. Battin, 82, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Aug. 18, 2016, at Living Center East.

Patricia Ann Hutt was born Oct. 12, 1933, on her family's dairy farm near Madrid, Iowa, the only child of Lester and Vera (Cushatt) Hutt. She attended a one-room country grammar school and graduated from Madrid High School in 1951, where she was drum majorette for the marching band. Patricia earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls in 1955, majoring in music education with an emphasis on vocal music. A member of Sigma Alpha Iota, Patricia focused on chorus and sang in the A Capella Choir. Patricia continued with some post-graduate study at the University of Iowa.

Patricia enjoyed a lengthy career with the Cedar Rapids school district. In 1956, she began teaching music at McKinley, then a combined junior and senior high school, but after one year, she moved to the Language Arts department. She continued to teach the difference between a noun and a verb to scores of students at Franklin Junior High School, where she worked for 19 years. Patricia finished her career teaching Language Arts for nine years at Jefferson Senior High School, and she retired in 1996.

On Dec. 28, 1957, Patricia married John "Demmy" Battin, and together they raised their only child, Amy Jo. John preceded Patricia in death on March 12, 2002. Although busy teaching school fulltime, Patricia volunteered as her daughter's Camp Fire Girl leader. She loved gardening, and Patricia grew flowers and vegetables for many years.

Music remained an important part of Patricia's life. She spent many years singing in the church choir at St. Mark's Lutheran Church. Also an accomplished pianist, Patricia frequently entertained her family and friends with a particularly rousing version of the Franklin Bolts Fight Song with her husband singing backup. She enjoyed accompanying her daughter Amy on piano during her daughter's tenuous violin solos.

After retirement, Patricia and John traveled frequently to visit friends and family. Patricia spent many years volunteering, including reading to first-graders at Grant Wood Elementary School, conducting pediatric tours at St. Luke's Hospital and leading Bible studies at care facilities. Patricia was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids from 1999 until her death, where she made many dear friends. Patricia also doted on her grandchildren and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them. She was very proud of their accomplishments and openly boasted about them to anyone who would listen.

Patricia is survived by her daughter, Amy Battin Leone, of Broomfield, Colo.; twin granddaughters, Madeline and Margaret Leone, also of Broomfield, Colo.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Ralph and Barbara (Battin) Darby, of Rochester, Mich.; sister-in-law, Marie Battin, of Brookfield, Wis.; and nieces, Leslie (Battin) Semmel, of Chicago, Ill., Diane (Battin) Rogers, of Delafield, Wis., Kelly (Darby) Chan, of Canton, Mich., and Kim (Darby) Spencer, of Lake Orion, Mich.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her brother-in-law, Douglas A. Battin, and her nephew, Douglas John Battin.

Patricia's family would like to thank Patricia's longtime caregiver, Sandra Nelson, for her dedication, generosity and friendship over the years. In addition, Patricia's family wants to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Living Center East for their loving, compassionate care, especially during Patricia's last days. It was deeply appreciated. Last but not least, Patricia's family also would like to thank UnityPoint Palliative Care and Hospice for their kind assistance during this difficult time.

Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 1 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 2202 Forest Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids. A reception celebrating Patricia's life will be held on Thursday at the DoubleTree Hotel from 4 to 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, Patricia's family asks that you send donations to the Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation or Bethany Lutheran Church.

Online condolences to the family may be left at www.cedarmemorial.com under "obituaries."