Patricia "Pati" Sue Bardon

Patricia “Pati” Sue (Wood) Bardon, age 70, of Upper Sandusky, passed away on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at Wyandot Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center as a result of aggressive metastatic melanoma. She was at peace and ready to go to Heaven. She was eager to be reunited with her late parents, William “Bill” Wood and Rosalie “Rosie” (Shedenhelm) Wood, and brother Bill, Jr., who passed tragically when Pati was just a teenager. She was ready to use her legs again to walk through the beautiful fields of Heaven. And she was ready to be greeted by all of the dogs she saved, loved, and lost throughout her time on Earth. Pati called Upper Sandusky home her whole life. She was born here on February 16, 1953, graduated from USHS in 1971, and met and married Robert “Bob” Bardon in 1975. Together they raised their three children - Jacob, Megan, and Alex - on their farm just outside of town surrounded by cows, dogs, cats, rabbits, a random sheep, and the occasional flock of chickens. During this time, she and Bob instilled in their kids a love and respect for nature, fresh air, and animals. Born into a family of hard-working entrepreneurs and later marrying one, Pati was fortunate to live, love, and work with her family throughout her entire life. She was at times a bus girl, hostess, drive-in waitress, Realtor, fine dining server, project manager, dishwasher, food runner, taste tester, cashier, accountant, business partner, home builder, and general manager. She was probably best known for her years spent in her family’s restaurant businesses, first The Steer Barn, which still serves our community today, then The Rainbow Drive-In, and finally, Woody’s Restaurant. Pati learned customer service, food service, and hospitality from her parents at an early age and grew up honing her experience and passing it on to others, including her kids, all of whom had the pleasure and annoyance of being managed professionally by their mother as they grew up in the family business. Even Farmer Bob ditched the combine and left the coveralls at home every Saturday night to don a coat and tie to work the register at Woody’s. During the Woody’s years, Pati was a polished extrovert with a fiery spirit. She had high expectations in the kitchen and on the dining floor and was always armed with a stack of menus and a dose of what-will-she-say-next drama to keep things interesting for patrons and staff alike. Pati was incredibly proud of her family’s restaurant and expected the people who worked and dined there to love it just as much as she did. If you didn’t eat at Woody’s, you worked there, with many former and current residents of Upper spending time under the tutelage of Pati and her parents serving up great food and great experiences. And all of them can still sing the Woody’s birthday song upon command. After the sale of Woody’s in 2001, Pati turned her attention to her passion for pets and became widely known as “the dog lady.” She was spotted daily driving around Upper with a truckload of dogs. Some were hers, and some may have been yours once, but they were hers now because you left them chained up in deplorable conditions in your backyard, or without water on a scorching hot day, or she just thought they deserved better. (She carried around bolt cutters just in case). During this time, Pati further turned her heart for dogs into action when she became part of an underground network to get abandoned or unwanted dogs into safe, healthy homes. She put a lot of miles on her truck (and Bob’s) transporting dogs across the state in the name of rescue, some which were moments away from euthanasia otherwise. At one time, she and Bob fostered 16 dogs. And a pony named Oreo. In 2019, Pati found a way to combine her two passions - food service and animal welfare - when she started Pati’s Dogs Food Truck. She leaned on her restaurant expertise to create a delicious menu of dog-themed sandwiches (for humans) and became a staple in the community for tasty grab-and-go lunches made-to-order from her mobile trailer. Her food was simple and so was her message - dogs are people, too. In every season of her life, Pati was a champion for the underdog - not just the four-legged kind. She gave generously when she could. She was a long-time volunteer at Open Door and was known for finding paying gigs for residents looking for employment. Pati was a devout believer in and follower of Jesus, and she held tightly to her Christian faith, welcoming church friends for Bible study and scripture reading even when she was too tired and weak to participate. Pati was a fun, somewhat obsessive mom who taught her kids the right way to toilet paper a house (and where to hide when cars drove by), the right way to throw a party, and the right way to make garlic bread. To her seven grandchildren, Pati was “the crazy grandma,” and it was a title she was proud of. She enjoyed breaking all the rules whenever she could in the name of showing her grandkids a good time. She leaves behind a legacy of lessons in resilience, how to be an example of grace and accept forgiveness, how to be a favorite hostess, how to make Rosie’s famous secret recipes, how to love through pain, how to laugh through chaos, how to hang onto lifelong friendships even when paths seem to fade, where to find the most delicious wild blueberries in Canada, and how to be happiest when covered in dog hair. Pati was married to Bob for 42 years, and they remained the best of friends after their divorce in 2017 until her very last breath. She also leaves behind her sons Jacob and Alex (Lori), and her daughter Megan (Jason) as well as her grandchildren, Jacobi, Joben and Noah Bardon, Will and Grant Bardon, and Laine and Lincoln Myers. And, of course, her beloved dog, Puppy, who will spend her remaining days back on the farm with Bob. In her final days, Pati was most at peace with Puppy sitting in her lap, a DQ Blizzard in one hand, and Bob’s hand holding onto the other. Pati and her family were deeply touched by the outpouring of love, prayers, and support during her time at the County Home. They express their sincere gratitude to all who took time to visit, call, text, and send well wishes. The family will receive friends on Saturday January 20, 2024, from 12:30pm-2:30pm in Bringman Clark Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at 2:30pm at the funeral home with Pastor Charles McGlone officiating. A private family burial will be held at Old Mission Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to All Species Adoption Program (A.S.A.P.) in care of Bringman Clark Funeral Home 226 E. Wyandot Ave. Upper Sandusky, OH 43351. Visit www.BringmanClark.com to view the life tribute, extend a condolence or share a memory.

Patricia "Pati" Sue Bardon

February 16, 1953 - January 14, 2024