Patricia Lynn Dinham

Patricia Lynn Solem Dinham, born June 17, 1947 in Cottonwood, Minnesota to John Ryland Solem and Phyllis Mary Margaret Haberman, passed away on March 8, 2025 at the age of 77. Pat cared deeply for every living thing. She loved her family and friends and her dogs, cats, and horses.

She was an avid gardener and loved her plants. She also loved the wild plants and animals that shared the land she lived on.

Pat's life was dedicated to caring for everyone around her. In 1966, Pat married the love of her life, Jeffrey Dinham. They shared 59 years providing love and support for each other. They raised a family together, working tirelessly to give their children every opportunity. When her own children were grown, Pat became a teacher so she could nurture and guide more young people.

Later she worked hard to become a registered nurse in order to provide comfort for anyone elderly, sick, or in need.

As a young girl, Pat developed a lifelong love of horses. She enjoyed sharing this love with her children and grandchildren, and anybody else who expressed interest. She had many deep bonds with her animals over the years. Stray dogs and feral cats taken in became family members to her.

Pat loved to travel and experience different places. She loved taking the train to visit her grandchildren, Liam and Aidan, while they lived in Lethbridge, Alberta in Canada. She got to see the Canadian Rockies, the Black Hills, and Yellowstone National Park. She visited Hawaii and toured Europe. Her favorite place besides home though, might be Lake Superior. She loved visiting Duluth and the North Shore. One of her last trips was to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Pat was an avid fan of Minnesota sports. She loved the high school hockey tournaments, the Gophers college teams, and the Twins, Vikings, and Wild. She loved going to the ballpark to see the Twins on a summer day. She managed to attend one Vikings game at U.S. Bank Stadium before she became too ill and it was a thrilling whiteout game where the Vikes beat the Giants 27-24 with a last minute field goal.

Patricia is preceded in death by her parents, John and Phyllis Solem; brother, Tim Solem; and Sister, Karen White.

Patricia is survived by her husband, Jeffrey Dinham; and her four children: Jennifer Dinham Henderson (Mike), William Dinham (Aimee), Jason Dinham (Melanie), Jessica Dinham (Rich Okan); grandchildren: Liam Henderson, Aidan Henderson, Casey Dinham, Jeremy Dinham, Jackson Okan; sister, Mary Kamel (Moustafa); and brother, Kevin Solem (Kathy). She was also a loving mother to Jeffrey's son, Michael Dinham (Tomekia).

Memorial Services for Pat will be held Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria at 3:00 PM, with light refreshments to follow. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. Burial will take place at a later date. 

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS MEMORIALS TO 4 LUV OF DOG RECUE ARE PREFERRED.