Andy Field

A longtime, and much beloved, employee of the Jamestown Public Schools District was recognized this week following his passing over the weekend.

Dr. Kevin Whitaker, schools superintendent, took a moment during Tuesday’s school board meeting to remember Andy Field. For more than 40 years, the city resident worked at Jamestown Public Schools as a custodian and was known for wearing his yellow ruler suspenders every day.

Last September, Field was diagnosed with cancer and he later retired from the school district.

Field passed away Saturday.

“He was well-known and much beloved as an employee — a great guy,” Whitaker said Tuesday. “Also someone who didn’t really want accolades, even though he had spent a lot of time doing a lot of hard work.”

Whitaker noted that several students, upon hearing that Field was sick, showed their support for the longtime employee. The superintendent said the high school hosted “suspender day” and gave Field an award.

In December of last year, high school students donated $3,600 to Field from money raised through their annual Penny Wars event.

Field attended the closing event for the Penny Wars campaign with his family. While he was there, he received a standing ovation from students in the auditorium, while several students called out “We miss you, man!”

In an interview at the event, Field said he started working for the district when he was 19 years old, “and then I just stayed. This was my home.”