Patricia B Tuma

Patricia B. Tuma June 6, 1930 - July 17, 2013

Patricia B. (Mrs. Ben) Tuma, age 83 of Faribault, died Wednesday, July 17, 2013 at her home at Faribault Senior Living, surrounded by her family.

In Celebration of Pat''s life, her family will host an Open House on Saturday, July 20, 2013 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Faribault Senior Living, Second Floor Community Room. Private interment will be held at the Maple Lawn Cemetery in Faribault.

Funeral arrangements are being completed by the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault.

Patricia Barbara was born June 6, 1930 in Milwaukee, WI to Bernard and Estelle (Dymerski) Wroblewski. She attended elementary school and Notre Dame High School at St. Stanislaus parish. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and her Masters Degree in English from Marquette University. In 1959 she married Benjamin Tuma in Milwaukee. They lived in Pawnee, OK for two years and Montgomery, MN for three years before moving to Faribault. During their years in Faribault, Pat served on the District One Hospital Auxiliary Board and on the Board of Directors at Wells Fargo (then Norwest) Bank. She was active in the AAUW and Monday Club. She served in various capacities at Sacred Heart Church and authored the parish history. She wrote a column for the Faribault Daily News and volunteered her time to Hospice, the American Cancer Society and other organizations too numerous to mention.

Pat was a wonderful cook and entertainer extraordinaire! Her "Put up the Reindeer" parties were legendary. She could quote Shakespeare from memory. She knew the names of just about every actor and every movie ever made. Her favorite was "On the Waterfront" with Marlon Brando. She loved the theater and music and if you gave her a theme, she knew a song that went with it. She loved the feel of real books and she read constantly. She valued education for the sake of learning. Above all else, she loved her family.

She is survived by her husband Ben, her daughter, Carrie Fay (Mark) Kennedy of Tempe, AZ, her son, Phillip (Cari) Tuma of Faribault, five grandchildren, Abby and Ellie Pat Kennedy and Adam, William and Alexander Tuma.

She was preceded in death by her parents and stepfather Stephen Budzinski.