Pat Brandt
She’s carrying on family tradition
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April 13, 2006, was a particularly rough day for Pat Brandt.
On that day, two organizations the lifelong Iowa City resident has belonged to and helped over the years — Alpha Chi Omega sorority and St. Patrick’s Catholic Church — were hurt in a major way when their buildings were destroyed by that evening’s tornadoes.
“Having two very dear structures ruined, it was a stressful summer,” said Brandt, 72.
Despite the twin blows, Brandt remains committed to those groups and more. Service to the community has been a part of Brandt’s life for as long as she can remember. Her father, William Holland, was Iowa City mayor in 1952 and 1953. Her mother, Elizabeth Holland, was a long-time volunteer with the Mercy Hospital Guild in Iowa City. Brandt later joined her in 1960 and now helps with mail and is chairwoman of the center’s vending service.
“My mother was very active there,” Brandt said. “When I started, I sold baby pictures. I’d go around to the new mothers and ask if they wanted a baby picture. It was a good excuse to get out of the house.”
After marrying Tim Brandt — who also served as Iowa City mayor from 1969 to 1970 — in July 1953, she settled into family life, raising eight children. During that time, she volunteered for all of her children’s activities in school and church.
“(It was) just the normal things mothers do,” Brandt said. “The nicest thing about being active in your kids’ things is you get to know their friends.”
However, she also remained active in the community. She was a member of the Iowa City alumni club. At St. Patrick’s, she is involved in a needle workers group and was leader of the church’s guild, which supplies the food for funeral dinners.
Brandt passed on her love of volunteering to her children.
“They just grew up (with it),” she said. “Their dad volunteered much of his time. He was active in Boy Scouts. We were both very active. They just learned from us.
“When you volunteer, you get more than the other person. It gives you a sense of pride.”
— Rob Daniel
