Patricia Wollack A Woman Ahead of Her Time

by Andrea Busche

Patricia

“Pat” Wollack is a woman who has it all. Her life is full of friends, family, and plenty of activities to keep her fulfilled. When she has a moment to spare, she spends time fondly reminiscing about her successful career which spanned several decades and a multitude of interesting professions.

Pat grew up in the East end of Duluth. She and her two brothers, Howard and Warren, attended St. Anthony’s Elementary School. Their mother stayed at home, and their dad managed Town and Country Appliances.

It is clear that Pat was ahead of her time, even in her youth. During high school, she would have loved to be on a baseball team, but Cathedral didn’t offer girls’ teams at that time. “You could be a cheerleader, but that didn’t interest me,” she says. So, Pat got a job working behind the counter at Kresge’s dime store.

After graduation, Pat earned her Associate of Arts degree from UMD. Around this time, she was hired at WDSM TV, where she was a copy writer. She also worked with Pat Cadigan on a radio show called Dig for Dough.

Pat later worked at KDAL as a copy writer, and en-

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joyed doing some modeling for several downtown department stores.

She met her future husband, Jim Wollack, on a blind date. At the time, Jim was in the Navy, but also owned some rental properties in town. The Wollacks were wed in Duluth on September 12, 1964. They moved into one of Jim’s rental units downtown, where they started their married life together.

Jim was contemplating the future of his career, and decided that his next move was to purchase either a bulldozer or a lake cruiser. He ended up with the bulldozer which would alter the course of the couple’s entire future.

With his prized bulldozer, Jim broke ground on several businesses that the couple would own over the years. Jim owned land in Hermantown, and their first business venture was to build a miniature golf course, driving range, and par-3 golf course on that site. Pat was the bookkeeper and worked in the pro shop.

The Wollacks have five children: Kim, Michelle, Chris, Tricia, and James. According to Pat, “Growing up the kids had a choice. Jim told them, ‘You can either play golf or work.’” The four girls became incredibly talented golfers, and were referred to as the “fearsome foursome” of Hermantown.

At one point, some of their golf balls rolled into the lumber yard that was adjacent to the golf business. “So, naturally, we decided to buy the lumber yard to keep the peace,” Pat says with a grin.

From Lumber to Liquor

After a few years, more lumber yards started coming to town and the Wollack’s smaller, family business couldn’t compete. They lobbied for a liquor license, and the former lumber yard became a night club, aptly named “Ye Olde Sawmill.”

Fedo, managing a complaint line. Then, she got an administrative job for the Department of Transportation. Finally, she found her perfect niche when she was hired at UMD in the environmental health and safety area as an executive assistant. She remained in that role for twenty-five years until her retirement in 2012.

After forty-five years of marriage, Jim passed away in 2009. Pat remained in their Hermantown home for several years, moving to Keystone Bluffs one year ago. She sees her children, as well as six grandchildren and one great-grandchild, often.

An Active Retirement

The nightclub was a great success. The Wollacks brought in live bands, and had a huge dance floor for guests to enjoy. Pat remembers working in just about every role at the club, from bartender to janitor.

After many years as business owners, the Wollacks made the difficult decision to close all of their businesses. They were aging, and Jim’s health was beginning to fail. But, Pat’s career was just warming up.

Pat’s career then transitioned as she worked at city hall under Mayor

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Pat loves the ease of living offered at Keystone, sharing that she enjoys their happy hour, delicious meals, hand and neck massages, and pontoon excursions. She is an avid Vikings fan, and enjoys meeting her friends for lunch. She is clearly squeezing every precious drop out of life.

With a decades-long career as a model, business woman, and administrative professional, as well as a wife and mother, Pat Wollack is a woman ahead of her time. She is a great role model for women of today’s generation who truly want to have it all. D

by Mia E. Thibodeau

In 2015, the Minnesota legislature made the first substantial modification to Minnesota law on trusts since 1989. The new law was effective January 1, 2016 and is referred to as the “Minnesota Trust Code” (Minnesota Statutes Section 501C). What might the new Minnesota Trust Code mean for the average Minnesotan? The following are some common questions that may be affected by the new law.

1. My [cousin, uncle, brother, aunt] has asked me to be the trustee of his/her trust, should I accept?