Patricia "Pat" Z. Wilhelm

Patricia “Pat” Z. Wilhelm, 85, a retired teacher of Wichita, KS, died January 14, 2023 at a local nursing facility.She was born Patricia Jane Zietz on March 4, 1937, in Mobile, Alabama to her parents, Joseph Ronald and Mary Gladys Eckert Zietz. She was the baby sister of two brothers, Bob and Dick, and a sister, Betty. She grew up and attended school in Mobile, graduating from Convent of Mercy High School in 1954 where many of her friends knew her as Tricia. It was during her high school years that she met her future husband, Bill (who attended McGill Institute ’53).She studied for two years at Spring Hill College before marrying William Jean “Bill” Wilhelm on August 17, 1957, in Mobile, Alabama. They had four children while living in Alabama - Bill, Bob, Andy, and Mary Beth - before the family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where Bill finished his graduate studies.Bill started his professional career at West Virginia University (WVU) in 1967 in Morgantown, WV. Pat went back to college, and had her fifth child, David. Pat finished her education degree in 1971 at WVU, and later received a master’s degree in special education from WVU in 1977.She taught special education at Wiles High School in Morgantown from 1972 to 1979 with her colleague and good friend, Cindy Taylor. After the family moved to Wichita, Kansas she continued teaching special education at Price Elementary School. She later switched to elementary grades and taught for 23 years in the Wichita Schools before retiring in 2002. She decided to go back to work as a regular substitute teacher and continued for 10 years before retiring a second time in 2013.Pat was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother. She was an excellent teacher, a generous musician, and a wonderful cook. She may have made the best Seafood Gumbo in all of Lower Alabama (but certainly in all of Wichita, Kansas). She played the piano throughout her life and volunteered to play organ at the Catholic Church during her time in Morgantown, WV. She inspired her children to become musicians, teachers, and scholars. She was a life-long member of the Catholic Church and was a faithful participant at mass.She is survived by her husband (for 65 years and 5 months), William Wilhelm, Sr.; her five children, William (Caroline) Wilhelm, Jr. of Charlottesville, VA, Robert (Lynda) Wilhelm of Lincoln, NE, Andrew (Carolyn Lechner) Wilhelm of Rocky River, OH, Mary Elizabeth (Randy) Castleberry of Wichita, and David Wilhelm of Fairview Park, OH; her eight grandchildren, Anna, Benjamin, Menaka, Amelia, Carolyn, Margaret, Kristen, and Robert; her seven great-grandchildren, Avah, Elah, Noah, Micah, Sebastian, Samantha, and Rand; and many nieces and nephews, including her close friend, Suzy Zietz McAtee.She was preceded in death by her parents, and three siblings, Robert Joseph (Norma) Zietz of Mobile, AL, Mary Elizabeth (Francis) Vogtner of Fairburn, GA, Joseph Richard (Cecile) Zietz of Baton Rogue, LA.The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to her church, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 1321 N. Stratford, Wichita, KS 67206; or The Lord’s Diner, 520 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214.Rosary will be at 4:00 pm, Sunday, January 22, 2023; Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am, Monday, January 23, 2023, both at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.Services in care of Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.