Patricia Henneman, a longtime teacher in the Rock Island-Milan School District, devoted advocate for social justice and loving mother and grandmother, died Thursday, Sept. 29, in Rock Island. She was 89.

Patricia Ann Schmidt was born Dec. 13, 1932, in Davenport to Carl and Irene Schmidt. Her family moved to Chicago when she was preschool-age after the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad transferred her dad. They returned to Rock Island during her freshman year of high school.

Patty graduated in 1951 from Rock Island High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in education from Augustana College and began teaching at Audubon Elementary School in Rock Island.  During summers, she attended the University of Colorado Boulder, earning a master's degree in 1960. She later taught at Frances Willard, Earl Hanson and Eugene Field elementary schools, retiring in 2000.

In 1959, Patty met John Henneman at a social mixer held at South Park Presbyterian Church. They married the next year. They soon grew their family with the birth of their first child. Patty took a hiatus from teaching in the 1960s as her family expanded and became president of the PTA at Horace Mann Elementary School and volunteering as a "picture lady," a PTA-sponsored program to bring art into the classroom. She also served as a Boy Scouts den mother and a Girl Scouts leader. She returned to teaching in the late 1970s.

Patty and John loved to travel. They routinely took their three children first to domestic and later to international destinations.

More than anything, they loved each other and their family.

After retirement, Patty became a steadfast advocate for social justice. She and John were active members of PFLAG. She also served on the boards of Churches United of the Quad City Area and Quad Citians Affirming Diversity. She funneled her energies into anti-bullying programs and inclusive religious initiatives.

Patty was a longtime member of South Park Presbyterian Church, where she volunteered with the after-school tutoring program and providing meals to those in need. She also served as a ruling elder, CROP Hunger Walk organizer and board member of its after-school drop-in center.

Those left to honor her memory include son Mark Henneman, daughter-in-law Mary Blue Henneman and grandchildren Nicholas and Ellie Henneman; son-in-law Shannon Sheley and grandchildren Brendan, John and Madeline Sheley; son Todd Henneman, son-in-law Craig Nakano and grandson Gus Henneman-Nakano; brother-in-law Bill Brittain; cousin Dewey Flemming and his wife, Shirley; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John William Henneman; twin daughters Amy Beth Henneman, who died shortly after birth, and Suzann Elaine Sheley, who died of cholangiocarcinoma in 2012; and her parents, Carl and Irene Schmidt.

Visitation is 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home, Rock Island. A celebration of her life will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Grace Church, the former Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church. The service can be viewed live at 11:00 am Wednesday at the following link, https://youtu.be/zPSdA1JPu84. Burial will be at Rock Island Memorial Park. Memorials may be made to the River Bend Foodbank, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation or the Southern Poverty Law Center.