Patricia Messer

Patricia Messer, 91, of Fergus Falls, died Thursday, April 14, 2022, at PioneerCare in Fergus Falls.

Patricia Lucille Davenport was born September 16, 1930, to Avery and Alice (Achen) Davenport in Fergus Falls. She graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1949. While growing up on the family farm, Pat heard her brother tell the horse “I’m going to bounce a bullet off your hide.” She couldn’t get the horse to move one day, so she went to get the rifle and shot the horse dead.

Pat met the love of her life, Merhle Messer, at the roller-skating rink in Fergus Falls. The couple was married on August 12, 1950, at the minister’s home. They were married for 65 years. In 1950, Pat and Merhle bought a three-room house and placed it near the Mark Sand and Gravel lot on South 59. Later they moved the house to south Maybelle Avenue in Fergus Falls and in 1986, Pat designed their new house in Fergus Falls.

Over the years Pat worked at Woolworth’s, D.B. Rosenblatt’s, and ran a daycare in her home for neighbors and family members. She was also a homemaker. Pat helped with sales at Swike’s Style Shop in Barnesville. Also participated in Crazy Daze there with her sisters-in-law, Gen Swike and Joyce Westlie-Smith. Tuesday mornings you would find Pat and her siblings at Haugen’s Ice Cream Parlor having coffee and treats.

Pat and Merhle created arts and crafts with a trailer full to sell at area festivals. They loved to travel in their motorhome to Florida and Texas. Sometimes just the two of them, sometimes with the entire family. While Merhle was working, Pat would take the four girls on vacations. Once they took a 1959 GMC panel truck to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore.

She raised and sold canaries, guppies, and English Bulldogs. Pat sold a bulldog to the ex-Viking football player, Matt Birk. Pat also loved Siamese cats.

If any of the grandkids and great-grandkids would be sick, they would go to “Gramma Pat’s” and cuddle up with the famous “big red” – a big red fuzzy blanket.

Pat loved to play Bingo, sometimes up to three times a week. She was a very avid Bingo player. She was a campfire leader.

Pat was the last survivor of her six siblings, Beverly Hoxie, Janet Steussy, Marjorie Petersen, Beryl Johnson, Avery Davenport Jr., and Daryl Davenport. Also preceding her in death were her parents and her husband, Merhle.

She is survived by her four daughters, Barb (Bob) Flom, Judy (Alan) Friedrich, Linda (Jeff) Hanstad, and Laurie (Maurie) Skogen all of Fergus Falls; grandchildren, Patience (Tyler) Armstrong of Fergus Falls, Alicia (Dan Srnsky) Paulzine of Fergus Falls, Stephanie (Michael) Misialek of West Fargo, Jennifer (Erick) Fronning of Fergus Falls, Sara Mandelke (Joe Lutz) of Henderson, NV, Amanda Mandelke (Chris Norton) of Fergus Falls, Elizabeth (Dan) Johnson of Fergus Falls, Trevor Hanstad of Valley City, ND, Michelle (Jason) Braaten of Ottertail City, and Mallory (Ryan) Thang of Alexandria; great-grandchildren, Sophia and Ellie Armstrong, Lincoln and Harrison Srnsky, Tori Bult, Hunter Misialek, Brohde and Zoe Fronning, Cayden and Caleigh Hendrickson, Mason and Millie Lutz, Riley and Avery Peterson, Cody Jennen, Emmerson Johnson, Brandt Patton, Roland Braaten, Macy, Landyn, and MacKenzie Thang, and numerous nieces, nephews, and other family members.

Visitation: one-hour prior to the service at the funeral home
Service: 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 23, 2022, at Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls, MN
Clergy: Reverend Doctor Douglas Dent
Interment: Knollwood Memorial Gardens, Fergus Falls, MN

Arrangements provided by Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls.
Online condolences may be sent to www.olsonfuneralhome.com