Patricia A. Samuelson

Patricia Raun Samuelson, 89, died Monday, May 11, 2015 at her home in Pender, NE. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 18, 2015 at the United Church of Pender, in Pender, NE; with Pastor Steven Breazier officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, 2015 at Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Pender, NE. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Walthill, NE. Memorials are suggested to Bread for the World and the United Church of Pender. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Pender, NE Pat was born to Alfred D. Raun and Marie (Philpot) Raun on November 29th, 1925. She spent the early years of her life in Walthill, where she was active in Girl Scouts, Job's Daughters, and Girls State, graduating from Walthill High School in 1943 as Valedictorian. She attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln where she was in the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, graduating in 1947 with a degree in Fine Arts. She worked as a commercial artist for the Miller and Paine department store for five years, during which time she married Ronald Kent Samuelson, who was then attending the University of Nebraska Law School. In 1952, the couple moved to Walthill, where Ron went into law practice with his father-in-law, Alfred Dreyfus Raun, and later moved to Pender in 1955, where she remained until her death. Pat and Ron raised two sons, Drey and Matt, who couldn't have been more loved. She started teaching art out of her home in 1971, and touched the lives of many area children and adults. She was a very warm, caring, empathic person, someone who would do anything for anyone she saw in need. She loved traveling with Ron, art, Cornhusker football, game shows, crossword puzzles, and gardening. She is survived by her son, Matt, who lives in Pender; her son and daughter-in-law, Drey and Lisa, who live in Washington, D.C.; her step-grandchildren, Sarah, of Philadelphia, and Nick, of New York City; her sister, Luanne Smith, and brother-in-law, Ronald, of Denver; her nieces Shelley Smith of San Pedro, California, and Zoanne, of Denver; and her nephew, Bob Samuelson, of Bella Vista, Arkansas.