Obituary Record

Darlene "Nitzy" Joan (Gillette) Field
Died on 2/7/2013

Funeral Leaflet

Celebrating the Life of Darlene “Nitzy” Field, September 17, 1934 ~ February 7, 2013

“I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”—Psalm 121:1-2

Darlene “Nitzy” Joan (Gillette) Field passed away peacefully on February 7, 2013 at her Oaknoll Retirement Residence in Iowa City, Iowa, as a result of Parkinson’s disease complications.

Nitzy was born September 17, 1934 to Welberne and Thora (Skalet) Gillette of Black Earth. Welberne called her “Itsy Bitsy Nitzy”; he died in 1938 when Nitzy was only 4 years old. Thora and Nitzy moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where Thora was a first and second grade teacher. However, Nitzy and her mother returned to Black Earth frequently on weekends to be with their close-knit extended family. Nitzy graduated from Central High School in Madison with honors. She enrolled in the first class of St. Olaf’s four year nursing program and graduated with a BSN with honors in 1956.

Nitzy married Howard M. Field on August 25, 1956 at Lake Edge Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin. Nitzy worked as a public health nurse and then stayed home to raise their three children. She completed her Master of Arts with a major in Nursing at the University of Iowa in 1992 and then worked as an Iowa City Hospice Nurse. Nitzy helped establish the parish nurse program at Zion Lutheran Church and recently helped develop a movement support program for people with Parkinson’s in Iowa City. She and Howard enjoyed many hours of joy over the years blessing people with freshly-cut flowers.

Survivors include her husband of fifty-six years, three children, seven grandchildren and one niece. Surviving children include: Karen Edlund of Rochester, MN; Jim (Patricia) of Fort Wayne, IN; and Mark (Deb) of Madison, WI. Grandchildren include: Alyssa Edlund (Salt Lake City, UT); Erik Edlund (Madison, WI); Paul Edlund (Rochester, MN); Hanna Field (North Manchester, IN); Sarah Field (Fort Wayne, IN); Anna Field (Madison, WI) and Luke Field (Madison, WI). Ginger Field of Sacramento, CA is her surviving niece.

Services will be held in two locations. Visitation will start two hours before each service and luncheons will be held immediately following. The first service will be held at Zion Lutheran Church, 310 Johnson Street in Iowa City, Iowa on Monday, February 11th at 11 a.m. A second service will be held at Vermont Lutheran Church, 9886 Vermont Church Road, Black Earth, Wisconsin on Wednesday, February 13th at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Vermont Lutheran Church Cemetery. Arrangements are being made by Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City, Iowa and Ellestad Funeral Home and Crematory in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin.

The family wishes to extend a special thanks to friends Donna Chen, Denise Gannon, Louise Kruse, and Carol Tippe for their loving care and support for Nitzy and her family in recent months.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Vermont Lutheran Church or the Zion Lutheran Church Wellness Ministries Program.

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 11, 2013, Zion Lutheran Church, Iowa City, Iowa. Clergy: Pastor Mark Pries.

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 13, 2013, Vermont Lutheran Church, Black Earth, Wisconsin. Clergy: Chad Christensen.

Honorary Pallbearers: Phodee Bower, Dorothy Mae Rasmussen

Pallbearers: Sarah Field, Alyssa Edlund, Hannah Field, Luke Field, Erik Edlund, Anna Field, Paul Edlund, Howard Field.

Burial: Vermont Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Order of Service: Zion Lutheran Church, Iowa City, Iowa February 11, 2013

Readings: Psalm 121, Psalm 23; Anthem: Choir vs. 1, Solo vs. 2, Congregation vs. 3 “Beautiful Savior”; The Holy Gospel according to Mark. Glory to you, O Lord. Gospel: Luke 10: 25-37. The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ;

Sermon “On the Way”; #597 My Hope is Built on Nothing Less; Apostles’ Creed; Prayers; The Lord’s Prayer; #808 Lord Jesus You Shall Be My Song; Commendation.

Immediately following the service, a luncheon will be served in Parish Hall. The Paschal Candle burning at the chancel step near the baptismal font reminds us of Holy Baptism, the sacrament though which people join the Body of Christ. As we are baptized into a death like Christ’s, so too are we baptized into a resurrection like his.

Worship Assistants: Organist, Marlys Boote; Presider, Jennifer Lutz, pastor; Eulogists, Carol Tippe, Mark Field; Readers: Patricia Field, Hannah Field; Choir Director: R.O. Moninger; Preacher, Mark Pries, Pastor; Soloists: Cindy Wessel, J. P. Moninger.

Note: the funeral leaflet had many pictures of the life of Nitzy Field.

~~~~~Funeral Leaflet courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska library.~~~~

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