Patricia O’Hearn Service Award

Council Joyfully Establishes the Patricia O’Hearn Service Award

Patricia O’Hearn died on March 6, 2005. Pat married James T. O’Hearn and they had eleven children, three of whom preceded her in death. They farmed in the Town of Eldorado until their retirement.

After Jim’s death, Pat became involved in the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Because of her firsthand relationship with the poor, she was influential in starting Loaves and Fishes and Bethany House (now Solutions Center). Her involvement included Broken Bread, Samaritan Clinic, the County Jail, New Beginnings and Morality in Media.

Throughout her life, Pat demonstrated a strong love and close relationship with God. She seemed always ready to help others, in her quiet, compassionate and unassuming way. The poor and the homeless held a special place in Pat’s heart.

Her energy and passion seemed limitless. Besides the poor, she was dedicated to family as wife, mother, grandmother, great-grand-mother, aunt and sister.

Gone but not forgotten, Pat’s memory continues to inspire many and therefore the Society locally wants to honor Fond du Lac’s own “Mother Teresa.”

The criteria for the Pat O’Hearn Service Award state: The person must demonstrate compassion, a history of serving those in need in our community, a strong sense of justice and excel in integrity and humility.

Past Award Winners:

2009: Dorothy Klumpyan
2010: Ann Leestma
2011: Don Mueller
2012: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
2013: Leo Haensgen, Tom Hornby, Peter Mastricola
2014: Loaves and Fishes
2015: Solutions Center
2016: Jerry and Jan O’Connor
2017: CARE, INC (in the NAME OF CHRIST)
2018: Dave and Diane Olson
2019: Reach
2021: Jerry & Dixie Sullivan
2022: Fondy Food Pantry
2023: John Schommer
2024: Holy Family Warming Shelter