Obituary of Patricia Kerns Tetterson Koncelik

Patricia Kerns Tatterson Koncelik, 91, of Lewis Center, Ohio, passed into the arms of her Lord on April 21st, 2026. Pat, as she was known to her friends and family, was born January 12th, 1935, in Fairmont, West Virginia, to Francis and Ina (Vangilder) Kerns. Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Tatterson; her sisters, Mildred, Ruth, Mary, Margaret, and Dorothy; her brothers, Robert and James; and her grandson, Thomas. Patricia and Thomas were married on January 14th, 1956. They enjoyed 49 years of marriage before Thomas’s passing in 2005. Patricia and Joseph Koncelik met at the Liberty Barn Church; both had lost spouses after happy and fruitful marriages. They were married on May 26th, 2012. Together as husband and wife, they traveled extensively in the United States and Europe. Both Patricia and Joseph were members of Liberty Presbyterian Church, where Patricia served as a deacon. Patricia is survived by her daughter, Katherine Tatterson Kreuchauf, her son, Robert Tatterson, and her grandson, Alexander Tatterson. Pat grew up on a primitive family farm on Piney Run outside Fairmont and attended a one-room schoolhouse as a young girl. She loved the rural country that surrounded her in her youth, caring for farm animals. Pat was a 1953 graduate of Fairmont High School, where she showed an early affinity for science. She was a graduate of West Virginia University with a degree in Medical Technology. She had a full career as a laboratory technologist at hospitals, private laboratories, and at the College of Medicine at The Ohio State University. She retired from Ohio State in June 1996. A woman of many talents, Pat took immense pride in her gardens at "Journey’s End," her Lewis Center home. As a Master Gardener, she shared her green thumb with the community by helping develop public green spaces and co-founding the Liberty Church Garden that provides fresh produce for local food banks. Her creative spirit shone through her watercolor paintings, her love of reading, and her voice, which she lent to both choral groups and the church choir. Ever active, Pat was a scratch golfer who brought home many trophies from Delaware leagues and an avid water skier who spent countless days on the water with Thomas. Together, they promoted boating safety through the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and Pat further supported her community through the Orange Township Fire Fighters’ Ladies Auxiliary. In her quieter moments, she was a dedicated bridge player, an avid reader, and a lifelong lover of housecats. Pat lived an active, creative, and rewarding life; a woman who took great pride in the achievements of her children and grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor. She was never at a loss for an appropriate and timely aphorism or West Virginia colloquialism to add flavor to any conversation. Patricia Kerns Tatterson Koncelik was a unique and remarkable person, unforgettable to all who knew her. In lieu of flowers, honor Patricia’s memory by providing a donation to People in Need, 138 Johnson Drive, Delaware, Ohio 43015. Arrangements have been entrusted to Ford Funeral Home, Ford Chapel 201 Columbia Street, Fairmont, WV 26554. Patricia will be buried during a graveside service alongside her husband, Thomas Tatterson, in Mount Zion Cemetery in Fairmont at 2 PM, on June 28th, 2026 with Reverend Jim Zinn as celebrant. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.fordfuneralhomes.com.