- Date Of Birth: June 13, 1940
- Date Of Death: February 24, 2021
- State: Minnesota
Patrick Donald Moren, Esq., the oldest child of three sons, was born in Bovey, Minnesota on June 13, 1940 to Mary (nee Bedi) Moren, and Donald Moren. Pat grew up in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and from the age of 4, spent his summers at the rustic, hand built family cabin on beautiful Lake Pokegama. He was an avid water-skier and become so adept at the sport that he could ski on one bare foot.
Following his graduation from Grand Rapids High School in 1958, he attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He was mentored there by University President Father Arno Gustin, who later was the Sacred Heart Parish priest in Roseau and a very close family friend. Father Arno had such a positive impact on Pat’s life that Pat even talked about Father Arno as he was receiving his last rites.
While still in college, Pat and some of his buddies went to a dance at rival St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he met the love of his life, Judy Hessel. One look and one question, “hey Red, do you want to dance?” was all it took to start their lifelong love affair. Pat and Judy were married on August 18, 1962 and they were inseparable until the very end. His love was evident even in his last hours of life, when he was unable to eat his favorite food, ice cream.
Pat graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in 1968 and contemplated starting a practice in his home town of Grand Rapids. Life however, doesn’t always go as planned and instead Pat started practicing law in Roseau by sheer happenstance. Another young lawyer, who was scheduled for an interview with the venerable attorney, Don Shanahan, was sick and was not able to make the long journey to Roseau. Don went down the list of candidates and asked Pat if he was interested. Pat was intrigued by the prospect of working in far northern Minnesota and happily accepted Don’s offer of employment.
Pat had a long and illustrious legal career in Roseau. He was well respected and well-liked by clients and colleagues. He had a reputation for practicing law with the utmost integrity and always worked diligently for his clients. In addition to having a very active private practice, Pat was also an excellent government attorney. He worked for a period of time as the Roseau County Attorney, the Roseau River Watershed District Attorney, and for decades acted as the Roseau City Attorney.
Pat, with Judy (and sometime kids) by his side, was an intrepid explorer; piloting his single engine plane to remote areas of Canada to fish, driving his old Scout 4-wheel drive on what seemed to be impassable roads to hunt, hiking late at night in the Swiss Alps after sampling the local brew, and traveling to his various lake homes in Canada and Grand Rapids. Pat also loved reading and driving his tractor. He could be often seen in Roseau driving his tractor between his law office and home. Pat had a wicked sense of humor and when we saw the twinkle in his eyes (which we fondly call the “up to no good look”) we knew we were in for a great story and an even greater laugh! That “look” was passed to each of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandson.
Although not always articulated, he was very proud of his three children, Mark, Michelle (“Shelly”), and Matt. Mark obtained his doctorate in psychology and has a thriving practice in Alaska. Matt and Michelle followed in Pat’s footsteps and are both attorneys. Both also had the privilege of working with Pat during portions of their respective legal careers. Grandson, William, will be applying to Pat’s (and Michelle’s) law school alma mater, William Mitchell, to possibly be the third generation to attend. That made Pat very happy in his final days. Pat had a definite soft spot for all of his grandchildren and was thrilled when one of his granddaughters, Flynn, was born with a beautiful head of red hair.
Pat was strong in his Catholic faith and would not let his weary body rest until the last rites were administered, mere hours before his death. Pat passed away with his daughter, Shelly by his side.
Pat is survived by his wife, Judy, their three children, Mark (Becky) Moren of Talkeetna, Alaska, Michelle (Ron Woolever) Moren, of Roseau, Minnesota, and Matt (Rosemary Feit) Moren of Chicago, Illinois; grandchildren, Tess (Andrew) Stern; Nastassia, Indigo, London, and Poppy Moren; William Woolever; Flynn Moren; and great grandson, Norden Stern; and by his brother, Mike Moren.
