Patricia Brandt

She was born 5/26/37 to Comer and Pearl East in Huntsville, Alabama.  Her parents were bluegrass gospel singers in her early years following the great depression, and their family spent quite a bit of time on the road traveling.   She was the only daughter of four siblings and enjoyed being doted on by her three brothers, Wallace, Alvie, and Tony.  She appreciated close relationships with her immediate family and rather large extended family.  

After graduating from high school, she worked as a seamstress and tailor, and continued to utilize her skills throughout her life to bless close friends and family with custom clothing and wedding attire.

Her best high school friend introduced her to her future husband to whom she wrote to for five years before meeting in person.  She married Jerome Brandt on 6/8/63 in Huntsville, Alabama and they celebrated 60 years of marriage together this past June.  Their marriage was marked with great respect and affection for each other.  They had three children together: Beverly, David, and Brian.  Initially they made their home in Montana, followed by short stays in Illinois and Tennessee, before returning to Jerome’s hometown of Grand Marais, Minnesota.  They made the beautiful and rugged shores of Lake Superior their home for over 54 years.  Her last months were spent with her husband and son at her daughter’s family home in Ohio.

Her interests included singing, sewing, playing piano, cooking, and canning.  She also shared an enjoyment with her husband for fishing, blueberry picking, snowmobiling, and gardening.  Patricia relished going for long walks with her husband while stopping to smell the flowers along the way.

Patricia was known as a hard worker, serving as a nurse’s aide in the Grand Marais nursing home for many years before retiring.  She was not initially looking for a job but was recruited after she took a CPR class at the local hospital.  She viewed this as an opportunity to care for people in the community.  The faces of the residents would light up when they saw her come through the door.  She loved them, and they loved her back.  Caring for her family as a homemaker she considered to be her primary responsibility, and she did so with great love and affection lavishing them with sumptuous meals.

Patricia’s faith, spiritual growth, and connection with a community of believers was important to her.  Over the course of many years, she was involved with the Evangelical Free Church and the Cornerstone Church formerly known as the First Baptist Church. In more recent years she attended Okontoe and Beaver Bay Community Church.  

Patricia believed that the most important investment one could make in this lifetime was seeking the face of God and knowing Him.  Pedigree, awards, career, degrees, pretense, and promotions did not impress her.  She desired above all else to live an authentic life for the glory of God.  She had a deep abiding relationship with Jesus, and she wanted nothing more for others than they also knew the Lord’s abounding and sacrificial love.  Because of God’s grace for her, she worked hard at forgiving offenses and turning them over to Jesus to bring reconciliation.  Back in the day she kept the coffee pot brewing and welcomed visitors who came to visit and often to pour out their troubles while she attended to their soul’s needs.  She did not consider herself above anyone, but welcomed anyone who chose to sit with her whether they were of high social standing or homeless and lacking social graces.  She will be dearly missed.

She is survived by her husband Jerome Brandt, daughter Beverly Starnal, son David Brandt, son-in-law Cary Starnal, granddaughter Deborah Starnal, brother-in-law Carl Brandt, sister-in-law Luana Brandt and sister-in-law Shirley East.  The nieces and nephews that she is survived by include Kelly East Wall, Gene East, Cynthia Culver, Karen East, Kristine Buckman, Karyn Brandt, and Kathryn Brandt.  Special mention for Ruth Lowery and Garnet Wright who lived with the family for time and became close as family themselves.

Preceding her in death were her infant son Brian Brandt, brothers Wallace East, Tony East, and Alvie East, brother-in-law Paul Brandt, and nephew Daniel Brandt.

Services will be held at Snyder Funeral home in Sunbury, OH on Friday January 12 at 4:00 eastern (3:00 central), with a live stream starting 5 minutes before at https://m.facebook.com/SunburySFH.

The Maple Hill Cemetery in Grand Marais, Minnesota has been chosen as her resting place.  A memorial service will be held in Grand Marais later this year with details to follow.  In lieu of flowers the family will accept donations to Gideons International (SendTheWord.org) in her memory where she served as an auxiliary member.