Patricia Ann DeLeon
formerly Dziak

Found Peace on June 8, 2025, age 86 years. Preceded in death by her beloved husbands Stanley J. Dziak and Louis “Tony” DeLeon, siblings Sandra (Matt) Kasel and Vernice (Gerald) Lancour.  Cherished mother of Terry (the late Gary) Whyte and Mark Dziak. Dear sister of Carol (the late Raymond) Dziak and Jeffrey Armstrong. Further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and dear friends.

Patricia and Stanley were married in 1956. Their union blessed them with two children – Terry and Mark.  Patricia and Stanley made their home in Greenfield, Wisconsin for over 40 years.  They also purchased property in the north woods near Antigo, Wisconsin where they built a cabin.  Patricia treasured the time she spent up north with her family over the years.

 Sadly, Stanley passed away in 1986. Patricia knew that she could have many years left on earth before she would be reunited with Stanley. As fate would have it, Patricia met her future husband, Tony while she was working as a bookkeeper at a car dealership.

Some of Patricia’s siblings had moved to the Amherst, Virginia area.  When Patricia and Tony visited her siblings, they fell in love with the area.  The milder winters were a big draw, but it was the gorgeous Virginia mountains – possibly evoking so many memories made in the north woods of Wisconsin – that made the area so appealing to Patricia. So, with Terry and Mark on their own, Patricia and Tony made the decision to move to Amherst, Virginia.

Patricia always needed to be busy.  So, once she and Tony got established in Amherst, she couldn’t wait to get involved with her community – joining several clubs, including the Amherst Woman’s Club and the Village Garden Club.

Patricia enjoyed beautifying her home both inside and outside.  She had an artist’s eye and a flair for home decorating.  She was equally talented at making sure the outside of her home had great curb-appeal as well.  She often used her artistic talents to enhance the beauty of her home – whether it was painting delicate roses on tables, sewing something or using her keen eye for art to make or find “just the right thing” to fill an empty spot.

Patricia was also an outstanding cook and baker and loved hosting holiday dinners.  Her Christmas cookies were legendary – they were not only delicious, but the sheer variety and quantity she made was overwhelming. People would joke about the amount of cookies Patricia made at Christmas – teasing her that she would still be serving Christmas cookies after Easter dinner.

Patricia and Tony lived in Amherst, Virginia for about 25 years – they loved having the beautiful Virginia mountains as the backdrop for their lives.  When Tony passed away in September of 2024; Patricia along with Terry and Mark came to the decision that it was time for her to move back to Wisconsin.  While her time back in Wisconsin seemed all too short, Terry and Mark are grateful to the time they were able to spend with their mother over the last months. They find comfort in knowing that she is finally reunited with their father and Tony as well.

Life’s challenges made Patricia a strong, independent woman – not necessarily because she wanted to be, but because she had to be. She learned some difficult lessons over the years, but she always kept her head held high – showing her children that true strength is more about character than it is about muscle. When she was widowed at a young age, she learned first-hand that we don’t always get what we want in life; and it would have been easy to just give up, but that wasn’t Patricia.  Instead, she tried her best to be grateful for what she did have and kept moving forward – learning that you have to create your own destiny and happiness.

Patricia was laid to rest next to her first husband, Stanley at Wisconsin Memorial Park in Brookfield, Wisconsin during a private committal service with Terry and Mark in attendance.

Patricia will be greatly missed by all those who were fortunate to have known her.