Obituary of Patrick Hoyt Veber

Patrick H. Veber

Newton

December 12, 1951 – July 18, 2023

Patrick Hoyt Veber, 71, passed away on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at St. Luke’s – Unity Point Hospital in Cedar Rapids, IA at the age of 71. 

   A celebration of life for Pat will take place 2pm until 5pm, Sunday, July 30, 2023, at Elks Lodge #1270, 111 E. 2^nd St. S., Newton, IA. The Pence~Reese Funeral Home in Newton, is handling the arrangements.  Burial will be at a later date.  

   Pat was born on December 12, 1951, in Newton, IA to Hoyt and Wilma (Graham) Veber.  He attended Kellogg Elementary/Junior High School and graduated from Newton Senior High School with the Class of 1970.

   Pat married Becky Lashmett in El Cajon, CA on November 11, 1989.  He later married Mary Helms in Newton, IA, on September 24, 2015. 

   Pat had a lifelong love of cars, especially fast ones.  He started racing go-karts at the age of 8 and was drag-racing – both legally and illegally – in his late teens.  His need for speed got him in trouble many times throughout his 20’s and 30’s garnering him a reputation amongst his friends and family, as well as within the law enforcement community.  Pat had a lot of hard miles on him as he loved to live life on the edge, constantly running his body to 85 mph and 4500 rpm nearly his whole life.

   Pat was never one to settle into one vocation and stay there.  Over the years, Pat was a factory worker, a maintenance man, a property manager, a plumber, an electrician, a farm hand, a gold reseller, a city manager, an over-the-road truck driver, and a handy-man.  Most recently, Pat was a courtesy car driver for Noble Ford in Newton before retiring in 2021.  He was well-known within the dealership for his fast trips to Des Moines and back on parts runs. 

   In his younger years, Pat loved to hunt and fish.  He had a wanderlust all his life and loved to travel.  Never really into sports until he was much older, Pat became a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, was an ardent supporter of Iowa football and the Iowa men’s and women’s basketball teams and enjoyed watching PGA and LPGA golf on television.  Actually, Pat just enjoyed watching television, in general.  And Pat looked forward to dinners out and listening to live music with Mary and their good friends the Crowsons. 

   Pat was gregarious and outgoing, he was a raconteur with a penchant for telling colorful stories in which there may (or may not) have been some embellishments along the way, and he had a love for music which included a keen sense of discovering musicians and groups well before they became famous.  He could be charming with people, he could infuriate his friends and family with his actions, he could be loving, compassionate and caring, and he could frustrate many with his choices in life.  But in the end, everyone would shrug their shoulders, throw up their hands, smile and say, “Well, that’s Pat.”

   Pat is survived by his wife Mary; a stepson Curt Helms (Teresa Robson) of Newton, IA; step-granddaughters Sydney Helms of North Liberty, IA, and Emily Helms of Bloomfield, IA; siblings Nancy (Vic) Geiger and Cindy White of Scottsdale, AZ, Elizabeth "Buffy" Veber of Newton, IA, Will (Cindy) Veber of Davenport, IA, and Julie Rose (Todd Carlson) of Naples, FL.  He is also survived by 5 nieces and 3 nephews, as well as 5 grandnieces and 2 grandnephews.  

   Pat was preceded in death by his parents, Hoyt and Wilma Veber of Kellogg, IA, and a brother-in-law, Terry L. Rose of Kellogg, IA. 

   In lieu of flowers, memorials in Pat’s name for a charity of future consideration can be directed to Mary Helms and sent in care of Pence-Reese Funeral Home, 310 N. 2^nd Ave. E., Box 576, Newton, IA 50208, or to a charity of your choosing.