Donald Lee Paddock, 89 of Northfield, formerly of Faribault, passed away peacefully Sunday morning, January 28, 2024, at Three Links Care Center in Northfield. He had been a resident there since 2021.
Don was born on a rented farm near Blue Mound, Kansas in Linn County on March 20, 1934. When he was almost a year old, his parents Lee and Fredah bought a farm in Bourbon County. This is where he grew up and graduated from Prescott Rural High School in 1952. Don joined the Kansas National Guard. He served for nine years. He enjoyed his Monday night training and a two-week summer camp training, usually at Camp Ripley in Minnesota.
Don went on to Fort Scott Junior College for two years. Then in 1954 he enrolled at Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburg, Kansas. He taught for three years in Mound City where Irene was running a beauty shop. They married and lived in the back of the beauty shop. Then they moved to Iola, Kansas for eight years. This is where their children, Chrys and Mark were born. In 1966 They moved to Minnesota. They lived in Dennison and he commuted to Northfield to teach for 23 years. Don taught for 34 years and enjoyed teaching, but decided he had enough. He worked at Foldcraft in Kenyon, a cabinet shop in Northfield, and then a furniture store.
In the early years of being in Minnesota the cold did not bother him. Then with age, it became an issue. Snowbirding in Arizona became the practiced way of life. Don had always enjoyed his puzzles and began the puzzle business. Don started Paddock Puzzles and traveled all over to sell his puzzles at craft shows. People would recognize his puzzle green and he became the "Puzzle Man." Don knew of puzzles going to every continent but Antarctica. After his wife of sixty years, Irene, passed away in 2015, Don moved from Oracle Arizona back to Faribault in 2017. Don kept busy with his daily walks going all over Faribault. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and will be dearly missed.
He is survived by his children, Chrystine (Clyde) Eggum of Dennison and Mark (Sandy) Paddock of Faribault; grandsons, Andrew (Jennifer) Eggum, Joseph (Dena) Eggum, Erik (Stephanie) Paddock, and Adam Paddock; great-grandchildren, Kaia, Moira, Eve, and Henry; and sister, Jennie. He was preceded in death by his wife, Irene; parents, and sister, Lurene.
Funeral service will be held at 11 AM, Friday, February 2, 2024 at Dennison Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 4-7 PM, Thursday, February 1, 2024 at Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Reception will follow the service and interment will be in Prairie Creek Cemetery, rural Northfield.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Dennison Lutheran Church or Prairie Creek Cemetery.
Arrangements are with Bierman, Benson & Langehough Funeral Home & Crematory, Northfield. www.northfieldfuneral.com
