Date of Birth: January 24, 1965
Date of Death: February 24, 2025
Patricia Leanne Braden of Indian Head, Sask., passed away peacefully on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025 after a long and hard-fought illness. She was 60. Beloved wife of Ken Braden, Pat was a devoted teacher and principal who leaves behind generations of former students and colleagues, family and community to mourn her.
Pat was born to the late Rod and Shirley Knisley in Regina, Sask. and moved to Indian Head when she was six. She studied education at the University of Regina and ignited a lifelong study in her vocation, eventually specializing as a special education teacher. She was deeply involved in Air Cadets, serving through her teens and organizing cadet movements every summer through university.
She married Ken Braden in 1986 and they lived at the family farm north of Indian Head where he farmed and she began a lifetime of commuting for work. During her long career she taught at schools in Kipling, Fort Qu’Appelle and Standing Buffalo First Nation, and filled roles as both vice-principal/principal and educator in Balcarres, Qu’Appelle and Edenwold. In later years, some of her greatest joys came when meeting former students who would sometimes introduce their own children and talk about the impact Pat’s belief in them made in their lives. Her work in special education could be tough but she believed that every child counted and worked to make a difference in the world through them. Pat loved her colleagues and they became among her closest friends.
On the farm and later when they relocated into town, Pat found joy in gardening and flowers. She and Ken planted acres of trees and developed gardens and flower beds at the farm. She volunteered at the Indian Head Horticultural
Society and Communities in Bloom. She was a lifelong member of St. Andrew’s United Church, sitting as a board member and champion fundraiser right until the months
before her passing. Preservation of the historic church and the community in it was important to her and she worked tirelessly to keep it going.
Pat and Ken were committed travellers, coast to coast. San Francisco and New Orleans were special favourites and they returned many times. Camping in the Rocky Mountains and California redwoods, whitewater rafting in Colorado, and the Grand Canyon were among their many memorable trips. When Pat was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer seven years ago, they made a joint decision to take every treatment and surgery, living as long and as well as possible. Those extra years bought them over 190 nights in their new camper including a three-month trip to Quebec and the Maritimes, and a year and a half where Pat was able to return to teaching and being principal.
She was predeceased by her parents, Rod and Shirley Knisley and her grandparents. She is survived by her husband Ken, and by family and friends who will miss her. She was especially close to her dear cousin and friend, Sandra Stephenson.
Her funeral took place on Saturday, March 8 at 1:00 p.m. in St. Andrew’s United Church in Indian Head, Sask. The funeral was live-streamed and the recording can be viewed with the link that is posted on www.tubmanfh.com
The interment will be held at a later date.
Online condolences may be made at www.tubmanfh.com
