TORRINGTON – Patricia Ann Novak, the daughter of Howard Edward and Maureen Patricia Flitner, was born on Tuesday, April 9, 1935, in Mrs. Highland’s Nursing Home in Greybull, Wyoming.
She was raised in the wilds of Wyoming on the Diamond Trail Ranch on Shell Creek, east of Greybull. Being quite the scholar, Patricia loved school.
She first attended the Whaley School, a one room schoolhouse, for grades 1-3. She attended Greybull Elementary, Junior High, and High School for grades 4-12. During this time, she was a Bronze academic graduate and was selected as an exchange Girl Scout to Germany (one of only 12 selected in the United States).
At 18 years old, Patricia attended Dominican College in San Rafael, California. While at Dominican, she majored in English and minored in Elementary Education in addition to being part of the college’s leadership offices and the head of Student Affairs her senior year.
Upon graduation, Patricia took up a post in Cheyenne teaching 4th grade. There she met Paul Joseph Novak (originally from Wilber, Nebraska), who would turn out to be the love of her life. They were married on August 11, 1959, at Sacred Heart Church in Greybull.
Their union resulted in five children: Anne, Catherine, Mary, Joe, and Elizabeth. After some time in Jackson, Wyoming, the family settled in Torrington, Wyoming. There her husband Paul was a school administrator and the Novak’s were active members of the community, especially in the Catholic Church.
Patricia was a leader in the Girl Scouts and Camp Fire Girls; taught religious education for 30 years at St. Rose of Lima; served in the offices at St. Rose and was parish lector, cantor, and eucharistic minister; was a member and officer of the Goshen County Right to Life; a member of Goshen County Republican Women; served as the Parish representative in the Diocesan Synod from 1990-1993; served on the Diocesan Board of Catholic Charities; was an officer and member of the Hospital Ethics Committee; was a substitute and teacher of the homebound for Goshen County School District; and started the Care Share Program to help the needy in 1980 with Butch Punke. The churches of Sacred Heart in Greybull, Holy Trinity in Cheyenne, St. Rose of Lima in Torrington, and Our Lady of the Mountains in Jackson held a special place in her heart.
Patricia is preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Maureen; her oldest brother, John Flitner; and great-granddaughter Stella Beard.
She is survived by her husband, Paul Novak; daughter, Anne Saunders; daughter, Catherine Parrot (Jeff); daughter, Mary Wolf (Phil); son, Joe Novak (Susan); and daughter, Elizabeth Kilgore (Mike); her brothers, Stan Flitner (Mary) and David Flitner (Paula); and 14 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Patricia Ann Novak, 89, passed away Sunday, December 8, 2024, at the Memorial Hospital of Converse County in Douglas, Wyoming with family at her bedside.
Funeral liturgy will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church, 605 East 22nd Avenue, Torrington, with Father Raymond Moss as the Celebrant. The Vigil for the Decease will be held prior to the funeral liturgy at 9:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Valley View Cemetery in Torrington.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Stella Strong or Divine Mercy Academy in care of the Converse County Bank, P.O. Box 689, Douglas, Wyoming 82633 or to St. Rose Catechetical Program, 605 East 22nd Avenue, Torrington, Wyoming 82240 would be appreciated by the family.
Serving as pallbearers will be her grandchildren, Brittanie, Marissa, Rachel, Emma, Allie, Maddy, Cade, Colten, Macki, Zack, Landon, Sage, Lucas, and Adam.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be all of her great grandchildren.
The Gorman Funeral Homes-Converse Chapel of Douglas, Wyoming is in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.gormanfh.com
