Ila "Patty" Mae Sales

Ila Mae ‘Patty’ Sales, 102, passed away on June 8, 2024, at Sunrise Manor after a brief battle with pneumonia. Patty was born March 18, 1922, the youngest of 12 (yes, twelve) children born to Harry Vernon and Sarah Helene (Hammond) Daily. She was born and raised on the family farm in Wagner, South Dakota. Although she helped work the farm and drove tractors, she never wanted to learn how to drive a car. She had never learned to ride a bicycle either, but watching her try, almost became its own summer sport at the campground in Little Sioux!

 Patty graduated from Wagner Community High School in 1940 and promptly moved to the “big” city. She moved in with family and was hired by the Sioux City Battery Company where she made batteries for the war. Here, Patty received a tremendous work bonus by being introduced to her future husband, Clarence Edward Sales.

 On September 13, 1941, they were united in marriage by a justice of the peace in Nebraska. They embodied the motto, “Live, Laugh, Love”. For 57 years, they LIVED! For 57 years they laughed and made others laugh too! But most of all, for 57 years, they loved, they loved their family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and they never met a stranger, especially if they had a beer for them! Their personalities were so in sync, you could listen to them ‘bicker’ at each other from different rooms, only to find they each had a smile on their face as they were responding. Clarence, or Clancy as Patty called him, always said, we may argue sometimes, but I always get the last words, “yes dear.”

 Patty joined Clarence at Brennan and Cohen Dry Cleaners, where they both worked until retirement. In retirement, they spent their summers fishing, gardening (they could grow anything!) and entertaining their grandkids and all kids in their neighborhood. 

 Clarence passed away March 10, 1998 and for 26 years his ears have had peace and quiet…..but here she comes!

 Patty was an amazing cook, she could make anything, A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G, taste like a gourmet meal. Just don’t ask what it was, you might not trust anything she served you again! (wink)

 Let’s talk about her dancing…did you know Patty could dance? Oh, not just any style of dancing, she tap danced! Patty never took a tap dance lesson………and she proved it every time she danced! But it was the effort that counted, right?! If you ever got to witness her tap dancing in the kitchen, you knew you were in the presence of greatness. Or, at the very least, you knew you were in the presence of the greatest effort!

 As Patty got older, her filter got smaller, no conversation was off limits, regardless of who was nearby or where you were. Over time, as her hearing got worse, her voice got louder. You can only imagine the embarrassing conversations that were had in public. (We are going to pause right here for you to take a second to think of the most embarrassing conversation that can be had in public, loudly. You’re welcome for the giggle!)

 We talked about her cooking, we talked about her dancing, now let’s talk about her laughter! Patty’s scream-laugh could be heard for BLOCKS! Just watching her and hearing it would make you laugh until your stomach was sore, your cheek muscles hurt, and you had tears running down your face! Her quick wit and wicked sense of humor was usually the catalyst that caused these fits of laughter. (This also refers to the small filter part)

 At 90 years old, Patty took her first airplane ride and was given the window seat. At 36,000 feet, she turned and asked, “should I be able to see buildings? No? Ok, good.” She also got to see, smell, and feel the ocean air for the first time, put her feet in the sand and collect seashells. Her once in a lifetime trip.

 Being blessed to live 102 years, Patty reciprocated by blessing everyone she met as a new friend. Everyone was her ‘darlin’, men, women, children, old and young.

 Patty is survived by: a son Larry (Holly) Sales of Des Moines, Iowa; 2 daughters, Marleen Ewing of Sioux City, Iowa, and Linda Krause Mehess of Sioux City, Iowa; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

 She is preceded in death by her husband Clarence; four sons-in-law: Bill Jones, Richard Ewing, Jim Krause and Jim Mehess; five brothers and six sisters.

 A Memorial Service will be held at 7:00 pm on Thursday, August 1, 2024, at Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, Morningside Chapel (1801 Morningside Ave) with a visitation taking place one hour prior.

 Her final resting place will be with Clancy at Memorial Park Cemetery.