Patricia Lee Mills

Patricia Mills, age 71, of Clontarf, died Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at The Glenn Buffalo in Buffalo, Minnesota. Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., with a Rosary at 9:00 am, Tuesday, December 19, 2023, at St. Francis Catholic Church in Benson, Minnesota, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in St. Malachy Catholic Cemetery in Clontarf, Minnesota. Arrangements are with Zniewski Funeral Home. To view a live stream of Patricia's service please follow the link: www.youtube.com/@saintfrancisbensonmn2945

Patricia Lee Mazurek was born on June 11, 1952, at the Swift County Benson Hospital to Albert Marion Mazurek and Ruby Fern (Jensen) Mazurek. She was baptized at St. Malachy Catholic Church in Clontarf and later confirmed there as well. She attended Clontarf Public School.

On August 30, 1969, she married Leonard Lloyd Laurence Mills, Jr. This union was blessed with more than 43 years of marriage, two children, eight grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Patricia worked at the Benson nursing home for several years. She had a compassionate heart for those in need. She owned a cleaning business and cleaned for a variety of local businesses over the years. She was hard- working and loyal.  Her love for animals, especially dogs, came at a young age. Even as a child she would bring home every stray dog she found and convinced her parents to keep them.  She cared for every one she was allowed to keep and still found a way to feed other stray dogs on the side. She especially loved pugs and raised nine pugs throughout her lifetime. They were almost everything to her, as they cared for her too while she struggled with health issues for many years. After her husband's death in 2013, Patricia moved in with her son's family. She lived with them for five years and enjoyed watching their sporting activities until her health needed more care. She then moved nearby into an Assisted Living home in Hanover, MN, and remained there a few years until her last move to The Glenn in Buffalo, MN. She was well cared for throughout her hospice time.

Patricia is survived by her daughter Janeen (Tony) Osterbauer of DeGraff, her son Travis (Chrissy) Mills of St. Michael, her grandchildren: Meghan, Tanner, Brandon, Kenzie, Mason, Chase, Madison, and Maddex, and great granddaughter Oakley; sisters: Ann Ascheman of Starbuck, Karen (Orrin) Wilson of Hancock, and Connie (Phil) Yost of Murdock; brother Joe (Julie) Mazurek of Mound; brother-in-law Jerome Motzko of Benson, sisters-in-law Jane (Loran) Knack of Nisswa, and Colleen of Fort Worth, TX; nine nephews; and eight nieces. Patricia is preceded in death by her husband Leonard in 2013, her mother in 2019, her father in 1984, her brother David in 2021, and a sister-in-law Jean Motzko.