GREEN VALLEY, AZ — Patricia Kay (Van Buren) Stenz, 74, of Green Valley, Arizona, passed away unexpectedly on March 19, 2026.

Patty was born in Oneonta, New York, on May 12, 1951. Growing up in Oneonta, her family owned and operated Van Buren’s Food Store on River Street, originally founded in 1920 by her grandfather, Carl, and later run by her father, Landin, until 1965, when he closed the store.

Patty graduated from Oneonta High School and continued her education at Mohawk Valley Community College and SUNY Geneseo, earning a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and Teaching. She continued to value learning, earning an additional 30 credits. Upon graduation, Patty found her passion for the classroom and taught special education at Oneida County BOCES for 30 years. She touched the lives of hundreds of children, believing that every child deserved not only an education, but also dignity, patience, and respect.

In 1974, Patty met her husband, Robert “Bob” Stenz, while they were both teaching at BOCES, and they married on October 31, 1975. They built an active solar home on raw land near Richfield Springs, New York, where they raised their two children. While residing in the countryside, Patty enjoyed gardening and homesteading. She grew large vegetable and flower gardens, canned delicious bread-and-butter pickles, and made homemade spaghetti sauce. Her family shared in the love of harvesting. Her children picked sweet corn fresh from the field, enjoying corn on the cob and corn pancakes. They also picked gallons of plump blackberries from the land to be savored with cereal, ice cream, pancakes, and homemade blackberry pies.

Patty loved creating joy for her children. She hosted pool parties, taught her kids how to cross-country ski across their property, and hosted Boy Scout ski trips on the land. When her daughter requested a seahorse-themed birthday, Patty lovingly baked and decorated a custom seahorse cake and hand-painted a matching shirt to complete the theme.

As each new school year approached, Patty poured dedicated effort into preparing her classroom, often physically moving her entire room and redecorating for different age groups. Her children loved the annual tradition of helping her set up and decorate her classroom. To build a truly special bookshelf, she supplemented the school’s books with her own handpicked finds—classic favorites like The Magic School Bus, Clifford the Big Red Dog, and numerous works featuring Native American storytelling—forming a beloved collection that her family enjoys today.

Patty and Bob shared a life full of adventure and hands-on projects. Together, they enjoyed hiking, riding motorcycles, and collecting and restoring beautiful antiques. They took their young children on many school vacations throughout the country. In 1992, they took a memorable family cross-country trip from New York to Montana, exploring sights and locations along the way before spending the summer camping on land they had purchased in Helena, Montana. They later enjoyed Montana during many summers. Patty and Bob moved from Richfield Springs to Cassville, New York, in 1999. After retiring, they made Helena their full-time home in 2002. They began spending winters in Green Valley, Arizona, in 2007, when they purchased a home there, and made the desert their permanent home in 2015.

Throughout her life and into retirement, Patty was an extraordinarily gifted artist and crafter. She was an expert in clay, ceramics, Talavera painting, quilting, knitting, sewing, crocheting, and stained glass. Patty taught Talavera painting at the Green Valley Recreation Clay Studio and served as Secretary on the board of the Green Valley Quilters Guild, where she was a charter member of the Block of the Month and Sew Happy groups. She poured her spirit into her work, hand-crafting and donating many quilts to support veterans. Quilting and ceramics brought out the very best in Patty, showing her quiet, calm nature, and she always had a smile to share. She took great joy in teaching these crafts to her grandchildren, who proudly carry on her artistic legacy today.

She also served for six years as a board member and treasurer of the Green Valley Fairways Property Owners Association and was a life member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Patty was always willing to help, volunteer, and give of herself.

Patty is survived by her husband, Robert Stenz of Green Valley, AZ; her mother, Louise (Bowen) Van Buren; her son, Nathaniel Stenz and his wife, Juliette (Hardy) Stenz; her daughter, Jacquine (Stenz) Dunn and her husband, Jeffrey; six beloved grandchildren: Catherine, Michael, Elizabeth, Teale, John, and Luke; her three siblings, Bruce Van Buren and his wife Adelaide, Carol Alper and her husband Neil, and William Van Buren and his wife Julie; as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

She was predeceased by her father, Landin Irving Van Buren, and her grandson, Soaring Fox Dunn.

Patty was sweet, kind, reliable, and unwaveringly loyal to all she loved. She adored her grandchildren and will be deeply missed by many friends and family members.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY. Family and friends are warmly invited to join in remembering and celebrating Patty’s life. A reception will follow.

To read Patty’s full story or leave a memory for the family, please visit her memorial page at neptunesociety.com and search for Patricia Stenz.

Local arrangements are with Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Family Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta; www.lhpfuneralhome.com