Lester Calbraith Lovett Field “Buzz”, age 86, of Townsend

Lester “Buzz” Calbraith Lovett Field passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on December 1, 2015.  Buzz was 86 years old.

Buzz was born on April 14, 1929 to Alan Dare Field and Janet Thompson Lovett Field in Red Bank, New Jersey.  He was the second born of two sons and joined his beloved brother “Jake” in the family home.  He grew up in rural Eatontown, New Jersey with fields and farms surrounding the revolutionary-style farmhouse.  It was a young boy’s paradise!  As a boy, he and his brother (and best buddy) Jake were introduced to duck hunting by their dad, and this became a life-long passion for both.

Buzz was an intelligent, well-educated man.  Starting at Little Silver Grammar School, he then went on at age 13 to Admiral Farragut Naval Academy.   A natural leader, Buzz became Company Commander, and graduated with honors.  While at Admiral Farragut, he enjoyed wrestling, swimming and sailing.  His efforts and ethics earned him an appointment to Annapolis; however he declined that appointment to pursue other talents and family business endeavors.  Buzz attended Colgate University in up-state New York, where he majored in Economics with a strong botany concentration as well.    As Commander of the Sigma Nu Fraternity, he made many lifelong friends.   Athletic and physically fit throughout his life, Buzz participated in wrestling and the swimming team at Colgate.  Summers were spent working hard on the family nursery and weekends as a mate on his dad’s charter fishing boat.

While at Colgate, Buzz participated in the ROTC program.  After graduation, Buzz was commissioned and proudly served as a 1^st Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.  While stationed in Boston, he was assigned at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as Project Officer for “Project Lincoln”, or the DEW line which was the North American “Distant Early Warning” system employed across Canada by the US Air Force, US Navy, and Canada with the development by MIT.  This assignment was quite an honor for such a young officer.

Buzz was a devoted and caring family man.  It was at MIT that the handsome young Lieutenant met the love of his life and wife of over 61 years.  Buzz married the beautiful and also accomplished Cathlyn Patricia “Pat” Kelleher on January 16, 1954.  They built their first home in Holmdel, New Jersey.  Of this blessed union, and notably over a span of 25+ years, were born seven children.  The first five children, born in New Jersey, are Lester Calbraith Lovett Field, Jr. (“Chip” or “Les”), Steven Douglas Field, Gregory William Field, Patricia Hunter (Field) Grosfield, and Christopher Alan Field.   Dad loved his family very much, and together with Mom, provided the children with all that is truly important.  We are forever grateful.  Seventeen wonderful and exciting years were enjoyed at the beautiful home property “Loch Haven”, where many a large mouth bass were pulled from the lake and swimming lessons abounded in the pool!

Bold, courageous and with a strong sense of adventure, Buzz lived a full and exciting life.   As his grandfather was aging, Buzz returned to his roots in agriculture and became an active member in the family business, Lovett’s Nursery.  Buzz became the President and CEO of the nursery in 1966, helping it flourish and become one of the largest nurseries on the East Coast through the time the nursery was sold.  He was honored to be elected President of the New Jersey Association of Nurserymen and was on the executive committee of the American Association of Nurserymen.

In 1970, after 18 years in the nursery business, Buzz, Pat and the first five children embarked on their next great adventure.  After many months of traveling and searching for the next great place, Buzz and family settled in the Townsend Valley, having purchased the Longhorn Ranch, also known historically as the Doggett Ranch.  It was here that they had their final two children, Dale Fraser Field and Scott Jeffery Field.  Buzz loved the challenges of farming and ranching and quickly made a name for the new ranch, the Tri Mountain Angus, with Pat creating the now familiar logo.  Buzz was known as an innovator in the local agricultural community, being one of the first in the valley to extensively use sprinkler irrigation.  In time, the Tri Mountain Angus name became well known in the Black Angus cattle community providing high quality commercial Angus breeding stock to other ranches in Montana, surrounding states, and Canada.  Tri Mountain Angus cattle were soon to be included in the first 100 herds to be awarded the “Recommended” Angus status.  Buzz was a charter member of the National Cattlemen’s Association as well as a Lifetime Member of the American Angus Association.   With the help of many local friends, ranchers and family, Buzz worked on the ranch until the very day that he suffered a severe stroke.

The final adventure and challenge that Buzz faced was in dealing with the effects of his stroke.  Even in this major challenge he was strong and dignified.   Six months ago, Buzz and Pat bought a lovely home where he resided, with the capable help of several caregivers.  The family gives special thanks to the many wonderful and loving caregivers that Buzz had throughout the last 6 years, especially his most current caregiving team of Kristina, Ryan, Morgan, Shelby, and Millissa.   You made his last months so very comfortable and special.

Buzz’s hobbies were vast and varied.  One of his very favorite pastimes was a true love of water fowling and upland bird hunting. He always had a good hunting dog by his side, from English Pointers to Labrador Retrievers, and a side by side shotgun in his hand.  Lester was a licensed private pilot, and flew for work and pleasure.  Being an avid outdoorsman, he also truly enjoyed any type of fishing.  As a young man he perfected the art of fly fishing and fished blue ribbon rivers from the eastern corners of Canada to the wild rivers of Montana.  Later in life he was always in search of the elusive walleye.  Hand in hand with fishing was a love of all things on the water.  He always had a boat in the garage or one on the water and has either motored or sailed on many of the bodies of water in and around the US.  Buzz scuba dived in many wonderful and exotic locations.  With all of these activities, he typically had his beloved wife Pat and various of his children by his side.  In the later years, he enjoyed nature walks, especially for wildflowers with Pat, children and grandchildren.

Buzz was a devoted and active member of Holy Cross Parish in Townsend. He served on the Townsend School Board and was the first chairman of the first Broadwater County Planning Board.  In 2001, Buzz was appointed by the Governor to the Board of Landscape Architects.

Buzz was preceded in death by his parents Alan Dare Field and Janet Thompson Lovett Field, and brother Alan Dare “Jake” Field, Jr. (Grace).

Buzz is survived by his wife, C. Patricia Field; children Lester Calbraith Lovett Field, Jr. (Cathy), Steven Douglas Field (Alicia), Gregory William Field (Dawn), Patricia Hunter Field Grosfield (Norman), Christopher Alan Field (Michelle), Dale Fraser Field (Rhonda), and Scott Jeffery Field (Nelly);  grandchildren Jack Autry Foster (Damaris), Robert James Foster, Patrice Foster Grzebielski (Kevin), Brian Field Foster, Sara Field Trumpp (Alex), Michael Lester Field, Tristan Joseph Field, Mari Alexis Field, Caitlin Alyssa Field, Alaine Barbara Field, Bailee Dawn Field, Spencer Alec Field, Cameren Kimberly Field, Preston Zachary Field, Colin Patrick Field, Grant  Kiprotich Field, Brooke Chesanga Field, Bridget Chepkemboi Field; great grandchildren Amaris Medina Soto, Orlando Medina Soto , Yahaira Medina Soto; great great grandchildren Jowell Ivan Medina and Jetxiel Joahn Medina.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, December 8^th from noon to 7:00 p.m. at the Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 212 E. Broadway in Townsend. A special Rosary will be said at 5:00 p.m.  Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Wednesday, December 9th at 12:00 noon at the Holy Cross Catholic Church, 101 S. Walnut Street, Townsend.   A graveside service will follow at the Fairview Cemetery on Lower Duck Creek Road north of Townsend.   Following the burial, please join the family for a reception to be held in the lower level of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Townsend, Montana.  Memorials are welcome and may be sent to the Montana Food Bank or Ducks Unlimited.

Service Schedule

Visitation

12:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Tuesday December 8, 2015

Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

212 East Broadway

Townsend , Montana 59644

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Rosary

5:00 pm

Tuesday December 8, 2015

Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

212 East Broadway

Townsend , Montana 59644

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Funeral Mass

12:00 pm

Wednesday December 9, 2015

Holy Cross Catholic Church

101 S Walnut St

Townsend , Montana 59644

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Graveside Service

Following Funeral Mass

Wednesday December 9, 2015

Fairview Cemetery

Lower Duck Creek

Townsend Montana, Motana 59644

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Reception

Following Graveside Service

Wednesday December 9, 2015

Social Center of Holy Cross Catholic Church

101 S Walnut St

Townsend , Montana 59644

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