Patricia "Patti" D. Westrud

Patricia D. “Patti” Westrud, 56, of La Crosse, passed away on Friday, March 8, 2019 after valiantly battling Multiple Sclerosis for nearly 20 years. She was born on August 7, 1962 in Minneapolis, MN to Kenneth and Arlene (Hermanson) Westrud. After Patti’s birth, the Air Force brought her family to France, and then Sacramento and Edwards Air Force Base in California before they settled in Winona, MN. Patti graduated from Winona Senior High School. She later earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Technology.

Patti loved spending time with and compassionately caring for animals. She volunteered countless hours at the Winona Area Humane Society while she was in Junior and Senior High School and later worked in a veterinarian clinic. In 2010, Patti welcomed a Bichon Frise dog named Frisky into her life. They shared a very special bond. Patti was a devoted Green Bay Packer fan, always looking forward to game time.

Patti enjoyed being outdoors. When she was 15, she was selected to serve in Youth Conservation Corp. She spent the summer in the Boundary Waters area in Northern Minnesota, clearing land and cleaning and rebuilding parks. The work was very physically demanding, but Patti loved it.

Patti was the second born of four girls. She and her sisters were very close growing up. They often shared the same friends and were fiercely protective of each other. During their school days and early adulthood, they got into their fair share of mischief together and made many wonderful memories along the way.

Patti loved her three children deeply. When they were young, she enjoyed taking them to “mommy and me” swimming lessons and exercise classes, hiked with them frequently, and enjoyed playing with them at parks.

Patti was a proud grandmother to three. She loved visits from and talking on the phone with her grandchildren. She relished any opportunity to talk about them with her friends, neighbors, and caregivers.

Patti is survived by her loving family and friends: her parents, Kenneth and Arlene Westrud, her sisters, Rhonda (Gary) Lorenz, Brenda (Tom) Schaefer, Sheila (Larry) Thoeny, her children, Sarah (Jon Engel) Trowbridge, Joseph (Katie Hutzenbuehler) Trowbridge, Heather Trowbridge, her grandchildren, Kai, Ellie, Hattie, numerous nieces and nephews, and her good friend, Dan. She was preceded in death by her Grandparents, Thilfred and Dinah Westrud and Henry and Sylvia Hermanson, and her much loved dog Frisky.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 1:30 PM at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse with a gathering for family and friends to follow until 3:00 PM.