Patrick William Barfield

Patrick William Barfield (aka Pat / Ol' Gringo / Crazy Grandpa / Old Goat) passed on to the next chapter on March 8, 2025, after living life on his own terms. He was born on June 11, 1944, to Evelyn Pauline Norris Barfield and Jesse S. Barfield in Whiteville, NC. They broke the mold after he arrived, as anyone who knew him can attest.
Patrick grew up in Fayetteville, NC and kept in touch with many of his grade school friends up until his passing. He graduated from Fayetteville High School (where he met his future second wife, Betsee Sanford). He moved to Greenville, NC after graduating to pursue a degree in History at East Carolina University.
Patrick enlisted in the Army in 1967, a semester before graduating, deployed from Ft. Bragg Military Base to Vietnam, to become a member of the Special Forces as a radio operator, paratrooper and sergeant. Patrick was in the Army Reserves until 1971.
He returned to Fayetteville in 1969 opposing the war. Not aligning with his parents' view and not feeling respected for his service, he found his chosen family in Greenville, NC, living on 4th Street. History was made there, as the hippie / long hair movement was in full swing. The music (etc) of the era was a huge part of his life and a worthy distraction from his untreated PTSD from the war.
Patrick became a licensed plumber and soon after met his first wife, Joyce Barnes and they went on to have two children, Shiloh and Kenya Barfield.
They were married for 10+ years, moving back to Fayetteville, to divorce soon after.
After turning down a position with the CIA in Iceland, he reconnected with his High School girlfriend, Betsee at a Pretenders concert and they married several years later after moving from Fayetteville to Durham, NC to be closer to Betsee's family and to help with her father's senate campaigns.
After their divorce, Patrick remained in Durham where he met his third wife, Cynthia Rahn Lockamy. They remained in the RDU area until moving to Rougemont, NC to join the Pot Luck Farm Community.
He loved to travel and after separating from his third wife, lived in and around the Outer Banks of NC. Once ready to retire, he moved to Progreso, Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula. Again, history was made and he loved his friends and travels in Mexico.
In his later years, he lived in Cary, NC with his son Shiloh and then moved to Greensboro, NC to be closer to his daughter, Kenya and her partner Andy Ware. He purchased a lovely home from a grade school friend and enjoyed his home and cat, Hank, until having to move to assisted living. He loved spending time with his grandkids, Jagger and Savannah Barfield and Neko Ware.
Patrick was preceded in death by his equally outspoken brother, Richard Barfield of Graham, NC.
No formal service is planned. Patrick was more of a party guy. His cremated remains will eventually be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.
In lieu of flowers, please crack open a beer and listen to some of his favorite bands, really loud – The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Allman Brothers, Tom Petty, The Byrds and Waylon Jennings, just to name a few.