Patricia "Pat" Nowak (Stekl), 88, of Plankinton, SD, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2026 following a courageous battle with dementia.

Visitation and prayer service will be held on February 20th at 5:00 PM at Plankinton Methodist Church. Burial will take place at a later date at Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, SD, where she will be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband, Delmar.

Pat was born on January 22, 1938, to Ruth (Weatherly) and Leroy Stekl in Omaha, NE. Her father passed away when Pat was nine years old. Her mother later married Albert Steckel, and together they welcomed another child, Robert Steckel.

Pat graduated from Letcher High School in 1956 and began working at Plainsco in Mitchell, where she met the love of her life, Delmar Nowak. The two were married in Letcher, SD, on April 26, 1957. Pat and Delmar were truly a team. Together, they owned and operated Nowak Plumbing—an electrical, plumbing, and excavating business—working side by side until retirement. When they weren't working, they could often be found dancing; they attended any wedding reception they could find to hit the dance floor. They proudly raised two sons, Craig and Doug.

Pat was deeply involved in the Plankinton community. She participated in The Queen Esther Circle through her church and the EverReady Club.  She and Delmar were active members of the Elks. In their later years, they enjoyed camping at the South Dakota State Fair and at the Mitchell Campground with friends and family. Pat rarely missed morning coffee with the other ladies of Plankinton and treasured time spent with her grandchildren. In the evenings, she was most often found relaxing on the front porch, enjoying a cold beer and the comfort of home.

Grateful for having shared her life are her sons, Craig (Gwen) and Doug, four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her brother, and her daughter-in-law Debi.