Patrick Fields

Patrick Duane Fields, 46, of Paton died tragically June 6, 2017.

A Mass of the Resurrection was held Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson by Fr. Jeff Schleisman, Fr. Don Ries, Fr.Roger Linnan and Fr. Lynn Bruch. Casket bearers were John Fields, Bill Fields, Alan Neese, Mike Bravard, Mick Towers and Doug Lawton. Honorary bearers were Craig Marquardt and Kendal Bruner. Music was provided by pianist Kristen Heupel and vocalist Kenna Marquardt. Interment as at Paton Township Cemetery in Paton, Iowa.

Pat was born June 26, 1970 in Jefferson.  He was one of four children born to Jerry and Mary Jane (Walter) Fields. Pat grew up on the family farm near Paton.  He worked diligently in all of the farming jobs, including riding beans, detasseling corn, and cleaning hog crates with his siblings. While most of Pat’s time was spent on the farm, he also played high school baseball with the Paton-Churdan Rockets. Pat graduated from Paton-Churdan High School in 1989 and completed his degree in Ag Studies at Iowa State University in 1993.

Pat and Michelle started dating in July of 1999 after he beat her in a game of ping pong. They were married in Nevada, Iowa on August 11, 2001. Kaitlin Louise was born on May 2, 2004 and Allison Faith on November 13, 2006. They lived west of Paton until 2013 when they moved to the farm homestead south of Paton.

Pat was a farmer to the core, proud of having a traditional family farm with crops and livestock.  He loved his cows, pigs, goats and chickens, even though he frequently used colorful language when working with them.  Having kids come over to feed ear corn to the cows, put a chicken to sleep or throw eggs at the pigs was as much fun for him as the kids.  

He loved his community and would drop what he was doing at a moment’s notice to lend a helping hand or share a piece of equipment. He gave countless rides to kids in the combine or semi, for his entertainment and theirs.  He loved to give high school kids the nastiest jobs on the farm to motivate them to pursue higher education.

Pat loved being busy. Besides running a grain and livestock operation, he was on the Greene County Cattlemen Board serving as President until his death.  He was a member and former chief of the Paton Volunteer Fire Department and was also a co-leader of the Junction Food Producers 4H group.

He loved his family.  Pat was not one to show a lot of affection, but the fact that he would stop working to share a meal with his folks, go to a game or a school program for his girls or a movie with Michelle was his way of expressing it.  His favorite times were when the family worked together building fence, chasing cows or all snuggled together on the couch watching The Amazing Dr. Pol and North Woods Law.

Survivors include his wife, Michelle Fields and two daughters, Kaitlin and Allison, all of Paton; parents: Mary Jane and Jerry Fields of Jefferson; brothers: John (Andrea) Fields of Plain, Wisconsin and Bill (Christy) Fields of Maquoketa; a sister, Cari (Tony) Schaffer of Lancaster, Wisconsin; parents-in-law: Frits and Martha Lantermans of Marion; sister-in-law: April  Lantermans  (Natalie Padilla-Gillett) of Lincoln, Nebraska; brothers-in-law: Sheldon (Rochelle) Lantermans of Tabernash, Colorado; Carl (Michelle) Lantermans of Marion; and Galen (Jill) Lantermans of Marion; other relatives and friends.

College was very important to Pat.  In lieu of flowers, please donate to the college fund for Pat’s daughters. A fund has been established at Community State Bank in Paton.

Services arranged by Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home Jefferson, 515-386-2171.