Patricia Van Cleve

Patricia Claire Van Cleve (née Scherer) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2026, at the age of 97 while in hospice care, surrounded by her loving family. Pat was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, a world-class needlepointer, a professional volunteer, and an accomplished homemaker. She was quintessentially “Minnesota Nice,” unfailingly polite, always courteous, mild-mannered, and stoic. She was the proud matriarch of her large, sometimes boisterous, family.

Pat was born on January 8, 1929, in rural Richland County, Illinois, to Donald and Lucille Scherer. Tragedy struck early in her life when her mother died just one month later at the age of 21, leaving Donald to raise two young daughters. The family soon relocated to nearby Olney, Illinois, where Pat spent her childhood. Three years later, Donald married Elsie Berry, and together they welcomed three more children into the family.

Pat attended the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, where she majored in Home Economics, and graduated in 1950. During her senior year, she met Howard Bramel, and the two married just weeks after graduation. They settled in Austin, Minnesota, where Howard took a job with Hormel Foods Corporation, headquartered in Austin. Howard began his career at Hormel as a student livestock buyer.

Pat and Howard built a wonderful life together in Austin, centered around their four bright and beautiful children. Their family, however, was forever changed in 1961, when Howard was tragically killed in an automobile accident, while driving home from work.

In 1963, Pat married Dr. Horatio (Ray) Phillips Van Cleve, III, a widower who had lost his wife only months after Howard's passing. Ray brought two children—a son and a daughter—to the marriage, creating a large, blended family of six children. Ray practiced medicine in Austin until 1975, when the family moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. There, he helped establish the Department of Family Medicine at the Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Pat and Ray shared a deep love of travel, golf, family vacations, medical conventions, and memorable trips with close friends. They were devoted partners for 48 years until Ray's death in 2011.

Pat was an accomplished and prolific needlepointer, which was one of her life's great joys. Her extraordinary talent earned national and international awards. In 1981, she joined the national board of the American Needlepoint Guild and served as the Guild's president in 1983. She became a certified needlepoint judge in 1989.

Pat also gave generously of her time to her community. In both Austin and Winston-Salem, she was an active volunteer and leader in numerous organizations, including the Forsyth County Medical Auxiliary (now the Medical Alliance of the Piedmont), the Ladies Golf Association of Forsyth Country Club, and the Medical Center Guild. She continued to serve in volunteer roles at Homestead Hills Retirement Center in her later years. Her willingness to help others became legendary. Her Austin friends humorously gave her a birthday gift called the "NO Box," filled with slips of paper suggesting reasons to decline requests. As her daughter observed, "Mom only opened the 'NO Box' after she had already said yes."

Pat and Ray were faithful and active members of Parkway United Church of Christ, where they formed many lasting friendships.

Pat is survived by her sons, Michael Howard Bramel (the late Nanette Hatzes) of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Scott David Bramel of Garden City, Minnesota; her daughters, Nancy Bramel Zipter (Clifford), of Summerville, South Carolina, and Christine Bramel McFadden and her husband, Jeffrey, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; her stepson, Edward Van Cleve of Austin, Minnesota; her grandchildren, Eric, Ryan, and Kyle Zipter, Andrew Robert McFadden, and Allison McFadden O'Brien (Declan); and great-granddaughter, Sloane Melissa O'Brien. She is also survived by her sister, Shirley Holt of Sebring, Florida, along with many extended family members and dear friends who will remember her with love.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 4:00 pm on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Parkway United Church of Christ, 1465 Irving Street, Winston-Salem, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Parkway UCC.

Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel is respectfully serving the family.