William Francis Patton “Bill”, 81

William Francis Patton “Bill” (81) passed away Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.



Mass of Christian Burial was held at 9:00 a.m., Saturday, May 21, 2022, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Hampton, followed by burial in the Hampton Cemetery. A visitation was held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 20, 2022, at Counsell Woodley Funeral Home in Hampton, followed by a Rosary Service. 



Bill was born September 27, 1940, in Guttenberg, IA, to William and Frances (Eilers) Curran. He was the 6th child of 9, the oldest son dying as an infant so both were given the same name. Because their mother Frances died, and their dad couldn’t cope with the children, the five youngest were put into the Dubuque orphanage where Bill got polio and had shots in his back/spine. He went every day to visit his sisters through a fence till they were gone. Through then Hampton priest Fr. John Ryan, Bill and his younger brother John were adopted by Lyle and Beulah (Braga) Patton. Bill graduated from Hampton Community School in 1959, attended Ellsworth Jr College (Iowa Falls), Ambrose College (Dubuque), & SCI/ UNI (Cedar Falls). He then was hired by Farmland Foods (Iowa Falls) in Grade & Yield, bookkeeping, and foreman on night cleanup for many years. On June 20, 1969, he married Mary Ann (Ibeling), and they lived five years in Iowa Falls. In 1974, they bought and moved to an acreage on the Patton farm north of Hampton. Bill continued work at Farmland and farmed the Ibeling farm near Dumont. After they lost the farm in the 80’s, he worked at the Latimer Locker until it closed. He raised purebred white Charolais cattle at the farm and acreage, and many still remember stopping to watch the new calves each spring.



In school Bill was outstanding in FFA and its judging, track, football, and wrestling but really liked judging hogs. He seemed to have a natural eye, won several trophies, and loved the farm/animals. He loved participating in and watching all sports, especially Hawkeye football & basketball. He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church and a charter member of the Knights of Columbus. He was very active at church-communion minister, usher, greeter, Parish Council, building & grounds, and either pall bearer, usher, or car driver for numerous funerals, and whatever else he could do to help. He and Mary Ann started the church Lenten soup suppers and the Fall Dinners, chairing the meat preparation for many years. In Iowa Falls, he helped start Meadow Hills Golf Course and was active in the community.



Bill was always interested in nature, UFO’s, Loch Ness monster-the unknown. He could imitate bird sounds and would ‘talk’ to a brown thrush & Canadian goose, and they would ‘talk’ back. He was especially proud of and loved his family-his wife Mary Ann and two daughters Ann Marie and Mary Frances and supported them in everything they did. He was a talented artist and sketcher—no paper was safe—and often gave his drawings away. He especially loved telling stories and jokes and usually had a twinkle in his eye or a smile. He loved reading westerns especially Louis L’amour, doing word search puzzles, playing card games like 31, fishing with his girls, making and eating hot sauce with jalapenos and habeneros, and when young, hunting. He was a natural teacher with much patience and was a very caring husband, father, friend—always thinking how he could help others but never wanting too much notice.



He is survived by his wife Mary Ann (52 years), daughter Ann Marie (Hampton), daughter Mary Frances and partner Mike Kostboth (Tiffin), brother John (Nelda) Patton, sister Sharon Sever, many nieces, nephews and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents William & Frances and Lyle & Beulah, brothers William Curran and James (Marie) Curran, sisters Joan (George) Erickson, Mary (Charles) Jenaman, Kay (Joe) Wagoner, Terri Duncalf, and Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ (Jerry) Collett.



In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Bill’s family for future disbursement.