Patricia Baldwin Shields

Patricia (Patty) Baldwin Shields passed away peacefully on April 23, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Patty was truly extraordinary, as reflected in the many lives she touched. She was kind, thoughtful, graceful, and beautiful inside and out. She brought warmth, calm, intelligence, and steady reason to every situation. She quietly instilled in all of us a simple guiding principle: always do what is right. That legacy lives on through her family and friends. We will forever miss her gentle smile.
She was born on December 19, 1937 in Selma, California, to Robert and Ruth Baldwin and grew up in Three Rivers near Yosemite. She was head cheerleader and drum majorette at Woodlake High School and shared her childhood with her brothers, Stan and Bob. She attended the University of California, Riverside, where she met and married Loran Donald Shields.

As Don's career evolved from professor to university president, Patty devoted herself to raising their four active children in Yorba Linda, Fullerton, and Dallas. She embraced the role of university president's wife with grace and strength, giving her whole heart to her family and community. She never complained, even during her difficult final years with Parkinson's disease.

Patty loved sports, family competitions, and new challenges. At 60, she learned to ski alongside her grandchildren. She went out of her way to help others and formed deep, lasting friendships. Their home was always the place where her children's friends wanted to gather.

Her life centered on her family. She gave of herself quietly and completely to her husband, four children, ten grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She is survived by her beloved husband, L. Donald; her children and their spouses: Ron (Kelly) Shields, Steve (Rose) Shields, Cindy (Kent) Spalding, and Laurie (John) Muir; her grandchildren Brandon, Paige (Alex), Cory, Kaycee (Manny), Chelsea (Chip), Courtney (Ryan), Will (Jenna), Avery, Caroline, and Will; and her great-grandchildren Stella, Sully, Margo, and Kye.

Patty showed us how to live with grace and purpose — to love deeply, value one another, and always do what is right. She will forever remain in our hearts.