Patsy Bender
Patsy Bender, 93, Passed away peacefully on May 5, 2021, at Goldpine Home in Bemidji MN. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at Northome High School at 2:00 PM. Frances Myrtle Storzbach was born to Frank and Agnes(Fox) Storzbach on December 27, 1927, on the Jacob Storzbach farm in Bridgie Township. Frank started calling her Patsy when she was a baby and the name stuck. Her father purchased and cleared a parcel of land between Northome and Mizpah on county rd. 16 and built a farm where she grew up with sister, Kathryn and brother Joe. Patsy graduated from Northome High School and went to college at Bemidji State College in 1946. She started dating Richard R.Bender and on June, 17, 1950, she married Richard at her parents home. Richard and Patsy Moved to the east side of Island Lake south of Northome bordering Richard’s father’s resort “Bender’s Fishing Camp”. The family grew to five children, Kathy, Richard, Peter, Joseph and Tony. Patsy continued her education and began a career in elementary education. Richard Started a Standard Oil gas station in Northome while Patsy helped out. She taught 3rd grade elementary in Mizpah and Northome schools. In 1968 They sold the gas station and purchased the resort from Richard’s father, R.W.Bender. The resort was run only in the summer months, so Richard worked in logging and Patsy taught school in the off season. Patsy retired from teaching after twenty years and they continued to operate the resort up into their golden years. Patsy also loved to travel in their motorhome in the off season. The resort closed for good in 2019.
Patsy is survived by her husband, Richard, daughter, Kathy(Bernard)Elhard, sons, Peter(Sonia)Bender, Joseph(Patty)Bender, and Tony Bender, Joe Storzbach and eleven grandchildren and many great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her son, Richard, her mother and father; a sister: Kathryn Hanson; sister in laws: Betty Boquist and Jackie Olson; brother in laws: Keith Hanson, Melvin Boquist and Leroy Olson; Two nephews: Terry Boquist and Jerry Hanson.
Condolences may be left at ceasefuneralhome.com.