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Submitted: 9/19/23 • Approved: 9/20/23 • Last Updated: 9/23/23 • R275489-G275489-S3
Section 12- Columbarium #4
Patrick "Pat" Joseph Baxter
October 5, 1942 - November 5, 2019
Patrick “Pat” Baxter passed away with his family by his side on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at Dougherty Hospice in Sioux Falls. Pat was 77.
Patrick Baxter was born in Mitchell on October 5, 1942 to John and Bertha (Taylor) of rural Ethan, South Dakota. Pat attended his first eight years of education in a one-room country schoolhouse before going to high school in Alexandria. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Southern State College in Springfield, SD and his master’s degree from the Colorado State College. He began his teaching career in Britton, SD, in the early 1960s, before joining the staff at Hills-Beaver Creek in Minnesota. In 1968, Pat began his employment with the Sioux Falls School District, first as a vo-tech teacher, then as a manager at the district’s data processing department.
At a teacher’s party in 1973, he caught the eye of the love of his life. Marty Borich was intrigued by the man who regaled a group of fellow teachers with the story of driving down the highway with a car ablaze. She said to herself, “I’m gonna marry that man.” By the end of 1974, she did. Together, they had four kids and more than four decades of wonderful memories.
In the last ten years before retirement, Pat went back to high school: first at Washington High and then Lincoln to teach marketing, run the school store, and head up the DECA program. These were by far the happiest years of his employment. Everybody at LHS knew Mr. Baxter—the teacher who took the school shop from a closet with a rack of candy bars to a centrally-located double-classroom with showcase windows, fresh-baked cookies, swag boasting LHS pride, and two cash registers that were constantly ringing up sales. Proceeds from the store went to benefit the school and the students, fueling and funding DECA trips and more. There was a wait list to get into Mr. Baxter’s class. In 2016, he was inducted into the Lincoln High School Hall of Fame.
In addition to teaching, Pat was deeply involved in the Knights of Columbus, the Kiwanis Club, the Sioux Falls Area Retired School Personnel, the YMCA, and the Brant Lake Association. In all the organizations to which Pat belonged, he held positions of leadership; his enthusiasm for their many service projects was boundless.
And finally, he had a very special connection with the Banquet meal ministry in Sioux Falls. The now-director of the Banquet, Tamera Jerke-Liesinger, saved Pat’s life in 2007 when he suffered a cardiac arrest over coffee at a cafe. Tamera applied CPR until EMTs arrive so that those who love him were given another 12 years to treasure his company. After that, volunteering at the Banquet had an even more special place in his (saved) heart.
Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Martha (Borich); daughters, Molly (Ryan) Yunkers and children Ethan and Connor, North Mankato, MN, Emily Baxter (Pramod Subbareddy), Durham, NC and Kate Baxter, New Orleans, LA; son, Thomas Baxter (Teasha Torpy) and children Christian and Preston, Sioux Falls, SD; sister, Mary (Bill) Schiefen, Hawarden, IA; brothers-in-law, Joe (Hsiao-hui) Borich, Seattle, WA, and Tim (Jeanette) Borich, Galena, IL; sister-in-law, Clare Becker, Sioux Falls, SD; and many nieces and nephews.
Preceding him in death were his parents and brother-in-law, Ed Becker.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorials be given to The Banquet of Sioux Falls, 900 E 8th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57103.
Funeral Mass will be held 1:00 pm Friday, November 8, 2019 at St. Mary Church, 2109 S. 5th Ave. Visitation with family present from 5:00 – 7:00 Thursday evening followed by a wake service and rosary beginning at 7:00 pm at Miller Westside Chapel, 6200 W. 41st Street.
Contributed on 9/19/23 by 9katz
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Record #: 275489