With hearts full of gratitude and sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, wife, and grandmother, Patricia (Pat) Ann Del Zotto (née Stenstrom). She made her final journey home to Heaven on June 11, 2026, at the age of 79, surrounded by her husband, daughter, and son.
A woman of extraordinary beauty, strength, and grace, Pat lived life as a gentle force of nature—loving, thoughtful, and truly unforgettable.
She was a devoted daughter and sister, and a loving wife of 52 years to her husband, Arthur (Art). She was a proud and guiding mother to her daughter Missy, her son Corey, and her stepson Jason. She was an indulgent and adoring grandmother to her “guardian angel” Kaity, and Lyric and a generous, cherished “best friend” to many.
From humble beginnings in Superior, Wisconsin, Pat built a life defined by resilience, determination, and deep devotion to her family and loved ones. Her talents were many. She was a meticulous bookkeeper both at home and at work—so precise that the U.S. Treasury could have learned a thing or two from her. She was a masterful and whimsical baker whose famous chocolate chip cookies (and many other treats, always made with love and plenty of chocolate) were the stuff of legend. She was a fastidious homemaker who could spot an askew lampshade from across the room, and a creative artist who spent hours in her home office crafting deeply personal greeting cards for life’s important moments—or simply because she was thinking of someone.
Beyond her roles as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Pat worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse, a cashier and grocer, and for 25 years (plus one day, because it only made sense to end her career at the close of a calendar week) as a master bookkeeper at Walgreens.
In her free time, she spent summers achieving an impossible shade of Coppertone bronze on the beach at her favorite campground. She loved exploring the country on road trips to Yellowstone, the Black Hills, Wisconsin Dells, Nashville, and Memphis to visit her beloved Elvis’s home. She also enjoyed her box of white zinfandel, playing Mexican Train and Rummy Royal with family and friends, and the quiet satisfaction of poring over Sunday ads and clipping coupons like a financial wizard.
Though the world feels a little dimmer without her, we carry her with us—in our love for family, our fierce independence, and in the way we show up for the people who need us most. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, compassion, and unforgettable charm. She taught us how to find our own voice, how to make a plan and stick to it, and how to do now what could be put off until later.
To know Pat was to be seen, remembered, and loved. She was, and always will be, a force to be reckoned with.
Trish and Mom, you were truly a once-in-a-lifetime woman. We promise to carry your legacy forward with love, laughter, and cherished memories of you.
Pat is preceded in death by her parents, Irma Stenstrom (Tollefson) and Harold Stenstrom; her brothers James and Harold Jr.; and her dearest lifelong friends Barbara Amorde (Olson) and Kathy Plesko (Rakitnichan).
She is survived by her husband, Arthur (Art) Del Zotto; her children Melissa (Missy) Herold (Herrick), Jason Del Zotto, and Corey Del Zotto; her granddaughters Kaitlyn (Kaity) Herold and Lyric Del Zotto; and many dear friends who will never forget her.
Special thanks to Dawn Dixon at Gentiva Hospice for her compassionate and meaningful support to Pat and her family during long journey home.
A celebration of Pat’s life will be held on Monday, August 3rd, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Stone Creek Golf Club in Ocala, Florida. Come and share your favorite stories, your cherished memories and your laughter – loud enough for her to hear how deeply she is loved, how much joy she has brought to others, and how greatly she is missed.