Shirley Jean Fields, 79, of Winchester, Virginia passed away at her home on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, after a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer.
Shirley was born in 1939 in the Moccasin district of Russell County, Virginia and was the first child of Ewal and Bonnie Jean Garrett. At Lynn View High School in Kingsport, Tennessee, she was Valedictorian of her class and a member of the band, and while attending Lincoln Memorial University she was a cheerleader all four years, a member of the Delta Theta Sigma sorority and regularly achieved ‘Honor Roll’ status. While at LMU, she was hounded by a fellow male student until she agreed to marry him, and they did so on December 23, 1961. Following graduation, Shirley was a school teacher at times and a patriotic Navy wife for 22 years.
Shirley was a member of First United Methodist Church in Winchester and the Fort Loudoun chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She loved researching family genealogy, coordinating each annual reunion for her Francisco family and Delta sorority, working crossword puzzles, and reading books by her favorite author, Diana Gabaldon. Yet, dear to her heart most of all, she loved to spend countless hours in support of family and friends in times of their happiness and sorrow. She was admired as being kind, warm-hearted, generous with smiles, thoughtful, and most of all, selfless and devoted to family, with an angel-like soul.
Surviving are husband, Commander Kenny Fields USN (Ret) of Winchester, oldest son, Terry Fields and wife Elaine-Kohl Fields of Berryville, Virginia, daughter, Kimberly Jo Fields of Leesburg, Virginia, son, Charles Todd Fields of Winchester, grandson, Michael Fields of Berryville, step-grand-daughter, Faith Kohl of Berryville, and sister, Joyce Cox of Franklin, Tennessee.
Along with her parents, Shirley was preceded in death by her brother, Ewal Garrett, Jr.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 26th at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 308 N. Braddock St, Winchester, Virginia, with Pastor Will White presiding, and immediately afterwards a celebration of Shirley’s life will be held at Omps Reception Center, Amherst Chapel, Winchester, Virginia. Interment will occur later in Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, DC.
In lieu of flowers, because of her father’s death in WWII, Shirley would appreciate a tribute donation on-line in her name to the National Museum of the U.S Army which is under construction now. @ https://armyhistory.org/donate/