Patricia Sue Karich passed away on May 7, 2018 at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth at seventy-three years of age. Patty was born at the Soudan Hospital on June 14, 1944 to Roy and Cerie Peterson of Lake Vermilion, Tower. She grew up at Pike Bay Resort on Lake Vermilion with her younger sister, Cathy, and graduated from Tower-Soudan High School in 1962. She attended Virginia Junior College and was an accounting manager and client services manager with Northwestern Bell Telephone Company/US West in the Twin Cities until her retirement in 1987.

Patty married Gary M. Karich from Aurora, the love of her life, in August of 1969 and spent most of their life together in Minnetonka and their cabin on the Pike Bay Resort homestead. In 1999 she returned to Lake Vermilion and built a home on the resort property. She loved all the wildlife that she greeted from her lake home every day where eagles, loons, ravens, ducks, seagulls, deer, fox and critters found solace in the woods and lakeshore around her. Cats became her life-long companions and children through her life-time. She was never without a kitty in her home. She also enjoyed bridge, Las Vegas, the theatre, concerts, Red Hats, Women's Club of Tower, Vermilion Lake Association, cousins' birthday lunches, class reunions and being active in Immanuel Lutheran Church of Tower.

Surviving are her only sister, Cathy Carlson, and her husband Jim of Lake Vermilion, Tower; four nephews: David Carlson of Maplewood, his wife Julie and their sons, Joshua and Andrew; Daniel Carlson, his wife Maureen and their son Jack and daughter Megan; Bradley Carlson of Gilbert, and Brian Carlson of St. Paul; four cousins, Bonnie Harma of Tower; Connie Childs of Lake Vermilion, Tower; Marcie Moe of Lake Vermilion, Tower; and Lloyd Ollila of Victoria, B.C., Canada; close friends, Don and Shawna Kischel of Lake Vermilion, Tower and their daughters and extended family and friends.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Roy and Cerie Peterson; her beloved husband, Gary M. Karich ,who passed away in 1994; and her close friend, Al Golden, who passed away in 2017.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 9, 2018 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tower. Pastor Liz Cheney will officiate and Mary Beth Reller will be the musician. A gathering of family and friends will begin at 10:00 a.m. There will be a luncheon and family burial at the Lakeview Cemetery following the luncheon.

Patty had an infectious smile that lit up a room. She loved her family, her Finnish heritage and she was admired for her sisu, independence, graciousness and her compassion for nature. She loved to go fishing, boating and snowmobiling on Vermilion, watch the Vikings, and shop with family. Patty touched many lives and her family knew they were loved for who they were. She will be missed and whenever the waters of Vermilion are heard or seen she will be remembered.

Family services provided by Bauman-Vermilion, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower. To share condolences online, please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com .

Gathering Time for Family & Friends

Saturday June 9, 2018 , 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Immanuel Lutheran Church

Memorial Service

Saturday June 9, 2018 , 11:00 AM

Immanuel Lutheran Church

Inurnment

Saturday June 9, 2018 , 1:30 PM

Lakeview Cemetery