Patti Winn helped Wings up until the end

Even when Patti Winn was in the final, painful stage of her life, she was still giving generously to the community.

It was fitting, friends and family said, that one of Winn’s last acts of charity involved donating her collection of puzzles – a collection large enough to make Ravensburger proud – to a local nonprofit organization that raises money for families of cancer patients. 

In all, Winn’s puzzles fetched more than $400, which was donated to Wings shortly after her death.

Winn spent the final year-and-a-half of her life fighting a rare form of small-intestinal cancer. She underwent at least two rounds of chemotherapy before finally succumbing to the disease in February at age 76.

Jene Winn, who was married to Patti for nearly 58 years, said he was sorting through stuff in the attic when he found a stockpile of puzzles that Patti had saved. He didn’t know exactly how many puzzles there were, but it was definitely more than the average puzzle enthusiast.   

“Patti was a collector – she collected every dang thing. You wouldn’t believe the stuff.” Jene Winn said. “But we had all these puzzles, so we took them down to Linda (Gerard) at the Venture Inn, and she sold them for us and donated the money to Wings.

“I don’t know how many puzzles there were, but at least 150 of them. I don’t know if that’s accurate, but I know there were a lot.”

The Venture Inn set up a table in the restaurant to sell the puzzles. They put a up a sign that read “Patti’s Puzzles,” and priced each puzzle between $1 and $5 until all of them were gone.

Some of the puzzles were new. Some were used. And a few of them stood up like miniature, cardboard sculptures.

“We sold all of them in about a month,” said Diane Hoover, who works at the Venture Inn. “There were all kinds. Some still had the wrapper on them. And there were a few 3-D puzzles that stand up. Everything that you could think of.”

Hoover said the Winns often visited the Venture Inn, partly because Jene likes to use the swimming pool. But even when Patti was in extreme pain, she never let it get her down, Hooever said.

“She’d always come in with a smile on her face,” Hoover said. “She was such a fighter.”

Winn was involved with “just about every women’s group in town,” according to people who knew her. She was a member of the Honeybee Homemakers, the Women’s Golf League and the Red Hats. She also raised money for Wings and the new hospital.

“She was a joiner, while I’m sort of a reclusive, private guy,” Jene Winn said. “She was into everything here. She will be sorely missed.”

Last weekend, a celebration of Patti Winn’s life was held at the River Bend restaurant. Dave Blackburn’s band played for the event, which was attended by more than 100 of Patti’s friends and family members.

While she was with us, Patti set a stunning example of humanity that challenges all of us to be better. Her 20 years in Libby were full of community spirit, volunteerism and kindness. 

With her time expiring and her strength weakening, Patti committed one more act of selflessness by giving one of her cherished collections to a group dedicated to helping people like her.

“She was happy to know the money from the puzzles went to Wings,” Hoover said. “She didn’t want any of it – not a penny. It was all for Wings.

 (Matt Bunk is publisher of The Western News. )