Submitted by: Dan Rich
April 3, 1906 - Jan. 29, 2003
South Bend Tribune 1/30/2003
William Elijah "Bill" Fields, 96, died after a brave struggle with cancer at 2:15 a.m. early Wednesday morning, Jan. 29, in his daughter's residence. He was wonderful Christian, husband, father and grandfather. He was a generous man and cared deeply for his family. He was born on a farm on April 3, 1906, in Martin County, Mitcheltree Township, Ind. His parents were (Ira) Lark and Fannie Fisher Fields, who preceded him in death, along with his brother, Claudius Fields, and a sister, Grace Fields Sullivan. He came to South Bend, Ind., in 1926 where he was employed by the Oliver Chilled Plow Works.
On June 2, 1929, he returned to southern Indiana to marry Emily "Louise" Terrell in Williams, Ind. They took a train back to South Bend where he was by then employed with Bendix Aviation Corporation as a drafting engineer. He worked in the brake and engineering department for 42 years until his retirement in 1971. They made their home in South Bend, and were married for 67 years until the death of Louise in November 1996. They were the parents of one child, Penny Fields (Dan) Gardner, who survives. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Nathan Gardner of Indianapolis, Ind., Aaron and Brittany Gardner of South Bend; and two step-grandchildren, Stephanie Gardner Shearon of South Bend and Ian Gardner of Kinston, N.C. He is also survived by his sister, Setta Fields Carlile of Findlay, Ohio, and by several nieces and nephews.
William was a lifelong member of the Church of Christ, and among one of the early members of the Donmoyer Avenue Church of Christ in South Bend where he served as a deacon for over 40 years. He and Louise loved the church, and were active members for many years. Viewing and services will be 2 to 4 an 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, in the Chapel Hill Funeral Home, Osceola, Ind. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shultz-Lewis Children's Home in Valparaiso, Ind., or to Hospice of St. Joseph County.