Patricia Ann Melendes

Pat (Patricia Ann) Melendes was a woman of great passion and energy. There was rarely a challenge she didn’t approach head on. Pat went to her eternal reward with her Savior on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 , having been born on June 20, 1944, in Gary, Indiana to Anthony Lazar Sr and Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Lazar née Shinners.

 Pat graduated from Horace Mann High School in 1962 and, after attaining her BA in Mathematics from Alverno College in Milwaukee in 1966, returned to her alma mater to teach math in 1966. She met her husband Joe in 1965 while she was a senior, as was he, at Marquette University. They married in 1967 while he was a second year student at Marquette’s Law School. Pat taught in Milwaukee, then Madison before their careers brought them to Waukesha in 1970 where they would raise their family. Pat taught math at Waukesha Central and South, eventually taking on the job of Math Department Chair for the Waukesha School District. She retired in June of 2000. She impacted the lives of hundreds of students including her daughter Sarah to whom she taught Trigonometry and PreCalc and her son Matt to whom she taught PreCalc, both at Waukesha South.

 She obtained a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in 1983. During her career, she attended and conducted programs to advance teachers in computer science. She spent three weeks at Princeton University that enabled her conduct these seminars.

She served on the St. Mary’s Elementary School school board and spent ten years on the City of Waukesha Board of Zoning Appeals.

Pat enjoyed sports and partook in tennis, captaining several ATA tennis teams, playing golf and soccer. Her ladies soccer team was appropriately named “Just For Kicks”.   After her retirement, she bided her time awaiting Joe’s retirement. Unfortunately, during her wait, in 2003, she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer and became a survivor in 2004. She could not sit still and went on to enjoy some time in sales, part time, of women’s apparel and then employee benefit plans.

In 2006, Pat and Joe retired to Egg Harbor Wisconsin but purchased a winter residence in Sun City West Arizona. There she joined the Clay Club and the duplicate bridge club where she attained Director status as well as Life Master status. She joined the Racquet Club where she became President of its 450 membership. They fell in love with Sedona which they visited and hiked often.

Pat was a fitness enthusiast working out at Curves, first in Waukesha, then Door County and then Surprise Arizona even though she has four rec centers at her disposal in Sun City West.

Pat’s real calling was mother, cook and host. She looked forwarded to the holidays, especially Christmas. She would start her cookie baking regimen shortly after Thanksgiving aided by her children and continue until a dozen different types were stored in jars. Cooking took a serious turn shortly before Christmas in preparation for an annual gathering of four generations of the Melendes and Lazar families and also friends. Even a Christmas Eve oven fire did not daunt her as her kind Jewish neighbor provided an oven on Christmas Day to complete her task.

She initiated an annual get together for her children, their spouses and her grandchildren at Wisconsin Dells where a good time was had by all. Her older son Mark and his wife Christine have continued this tradition of family togetherness hosted at their home at Thanksgiving.

 Pat was a source of strength and support to Joe, her husband and companion of fifty-six years. Perhaps each being a second of four children was a basis for their compatibility, but for whatever reason, they shared and enjoyed many activities together; there was golf, tennis, hiking, duplicate bridge, travel including 30 trips to Las Vegas, dancing and Marquette men’s basketball including trips to the Final Four in 1974 and 2003.

Pat is survived by Joe, her husband of fifty-six years; their son Mark and his wife Christine; their daughter Sarah; their son Matthew and his wife Maria. Also, their six grandchildren Samantha and Andrew Morrow, and Eliana, Leo, Tahlia and Ian Melendes.

 Pat is further survived by her brother Dr Anthony S. Lazar (Bernice); her sister the Honorable Theresa Lazar-Springmann; and her brother Vincent J. Lazar (Lisa). She was predeceased in death by her parents Anthony and Betty as well as her brother-in-law David Springmann.

The family would like to thank the most caring staff of the Skilled Nursing Facility of the Pete and Jelaine Center, a part of the Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay. Due to the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease, Pat resided there from October 5, 2021 until her death. She became part of its family as did her husband Joe, a daily visitor. Pat entered Hospice Care at the Facility on February 4, 2024 under the auspices of Unity Care of Green Bay. Its staff was an added measure of care and comfort to Pat and Joe and was most appreciated.

 A Celebration of Pat’s life will be held on Saturday June 8, 2024 at Randle-Dable Brisk Funeral Home, 1110 S. Grand Ave from 1:00 PM until  the service at 2:30 PM.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Pete and Jelaine Horton Center.  You can find more information at dcmedical.org/foundation/skilled-nursing-facility