PAMELA KAY (BLATTIE) YURKOVICH

Pamela Kay (Blattie) Yurkovich, the youngest child of Edward and Eleanor Blattie, (of Swiss and German descent), was born on May 21st, 1941, and passed away on February 24, 2025, in Globe, Arizona at the home of her daughter and son-in law.

Pamela was raised in Mantorville, Minnesota with her much admired “Big Brother” Donald. Pamela also spent a great deal of time with and spoke most fondly of Uncle Ivan, Aunt Lillian and their daughter Elaine. Their home and canning factory in Dodge Center always being a hub of activity, good food, hospitality and much love.

Pamela graduated from both John Marshall High School and St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Rochester, Minnesota and worked as both a nurse and a model.

Following her marriage to Thomas Yurkovich she attended the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria as the beautiful and gracious wife of the U.S. A’s Ice Hockey goalie. A little over a decade later she would accompany her daughter and husband who was refereeing the Coupe Beard International Ice Hockey Tournament in Lensin, Switzerland. Being the end of the ski season and the hotelier having travel plans to leave before the end of the tournament, the keys to the hotel were given to the beautiful and gracious Mrs. Yurkovich. She was instructed to lock the doors and leave the keys with the Mayor upon the family and other officiating tournament members’ departures, good manners and striking appearance do not only open doors but close them too!! It didn’t take long before Pamela herself became a little bit of a “Rink Rat”; often taking her lunches “On Ice” meaning figure skating on the noon hour of course!

Being a homemaker and a mother never stopped Pamela from pursuing her various interests. Many a weekends would be spent in a stream or quarry hunting for Agates or discovering a cephalopod to join the ranks in her historic showcases that resided in the basement. Meetings at the Isaak Walton League for rockhounds and the stories of their Arizona mineral adventures or favorite hounts for specimens eventually led to a class in Silversmithing.

So many interests! Cooking led to gardening, (a Master Gardener eventually) gardening led to pickling, pickling led to entertaining which of course meant setting an exquisite holiday table – which of course led to years of field trips in the countryside scouring Antique Shops and flee markets for the perfect pieces to enhance the table setting. Macrame, embroidering, sewing, drawing field trips led to workshops, which led to Roch.CC classes, Winona State University, College of St. Theresa and an eventual induction into Phi Theta Kappa! All of these activities ran alongside running a household, raising a child with a substantial extra curriculum list and caring for her parents whom she loved dearly. There were years of volunteering and from the Roch Public Schools, Int’l Assec and friends of the Minneapolis Institute of Art to mention a favorite few.

Several years after retirement, Pamela and her husband followed their daughter to Arizona, enjoying the warmer weather, becoming grandparents and taking on active role in their grandson’s early development. After her grandson started school, Pamela, who always enjoyed “little people” turned her attention to the children at Holy Angels School and became affectionately known as “Miss Honey”.

A gorgeous and gracious woman the embodiment of old school elegance; dearly loved and deeply missed.

“On Foot standing tall in her sunglasses and straw hat, a rare beauty; her smile and gracious exchange, a ray of sunshine for all whom she met-- a flower in the desert”. S.B.

Pamela is survived by her daughter Sarah (Kenneth) Bernstein, grandchildren Alexander Day and Eleanora Bernstein, her brother Donald (Jan) Blattie, children Linda (John) Smaby, Mark and Jay Blattie and sister-in-law Patricia Surina

A private Celebration of Life to be held at a future date.

Assisting the family; Lamont Mortuary of Globe.