1918
William
2006
William W. Fields
December 20, 1918 — February 6, 2006
William Wayne Fields, 3912 8th Avenue, Rock Island, died February 6th at the age of 87. Born in Clark County Missouri on December 21st 1918, Bill was the first child of Guy and Ruby Shumate Fields. He graduated from Williamstown Senior High School, Williamstown, MO. and he and Esther St. Clair were married in 1941. He served in the US Army Air Corps from 1943-1946, stationed for much of that time at medical bases in Lincoln, NE and Salt Lake City. UT. In 1951 he and Esther moved with their growing family to the Quad Cities where Bill found work in the construction trade, a vocation he pursued as a carpenter and a millwright until his retirement in 1983. An advocate for labor and union reform, he held a variety of union offices including president of Millwright Local 2158.
Bill was active in community service throughout his life with a special commitment to young people. He worked for many years with the Boy Scouts of America at both the troop and district levels. He was a volunteer with the Community Caring Conference, the Coalition of Rock Island Homeowners, and the Rock Island Board of Zoning Appeals. A devoted church member and leader, he continued his youth work at the First Baptist Church in Rock Island and later the First Baptist Church of Moline, and served on the board of deacons of each congregation. He and Esther were very active as team leaders for Macedonian Ministries, training lay education groups in American Baptist Churches throughout the Great Rivers region and, by invitation, in Kansas City, Iowa, and Pennsylvania.
Bill was the oldest child in a large family, brother to James Richard, Guy Forest, Joanne, and Travis who, along with his parents, preceded him in death, as well as Madeline, of Ewing, MO, Lila of Luling, LA, and David of Arizona City, AZ. He and Esther raised five children: Wayne of St. Louis, MO, Jack of Elgin, IL, Jerry and Marilyn of Rock Island, IL, and Eric of Rockford, IL. In addition to these children, Bill felt a father's love and pride in those who were subsequently added to the family and were a source of so much support to him: Karen, Ann, Rick, Molly, and Heather.
In retirement Bill became an avid golfer, taking great delight in a game that consistently frustrated him. The greatest joy of these years, however, was provided by his grandchildren: Sarah, Elizabeth Brooks, Aaron, Jason, Robert, Sondra, and Alexandra Fields, and Nate and Megan Trinrud and, more recently, his greatgrandchildren: Jimmy and Nathan Hall, Malena Davis, Jacob Brooks, and Bergen Fields.
Bill was above all a caring family member, a skilled craftsman and union man, an American Baptist, and a Democrat. He was to the end uncompromising in his commitment to liberal social policies and progressive political movements.
He and Esther, who continues to reside in their Rock Island home, would have been married 65 years this summer.
Funeral services will be 12:00 p.m. Thursday, February 9, 2006 at First Baptist Church, Moline. Visitation will be Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. 6601-38th Ave., Moline. Entombment will be at Memorial Park, Rock Island. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Churches United or the Awana Youth Program at First Baptist Church, Rock Island.
Online condolences may be expressed to William's family by visiting his obituary at
www.esterdahlmortuary.com
Bill was active in community service throughout his life with a special commitment to young people. He worked for many years with the Boy Scouts of America at both the troop and district levels. He was a volunteer with the Community Caring Conference, the Coalition of Rock Island Homeowners, and the Rock Island Board of Zoning Appeals. A devoted church member and leader, he continued his youth work at the First Baptist Church in Rock Island and later the First Baptist Church of Moline, and served on the board of deacons of each congregation. He and Esther were very active as team leaders for Macedonian Ministries, training lay education groups in American Baptist Churches throughout the Great Rivers region and, by invitation, in Kansas City, Iowa, and Pennsylvania.
Bill was the oldest child in a large family, brother to James Richard, Guy Forest, Joanne, and Travis who, along with his parents, preceded him in death, as well as Madeline, of Ewing, MO, Lila of Luling, LA, and David of Arizona City, AZ. He and Esther raised five children: Wayne of St. Louis, MO, Jack of Elgin, IL, Jerry and Marilyn of Rock Island, IL, and Eric of Rockford, IL. In addition to these children, Bill felt a father's love and pride in those who were subsequently added to the family and were a source of so much support to him: Karen, Ann, Rick, Molly, and Heather.
In retirement Bill became an avid golfer, taking great delight in a game that consistently frustrated him. The greatest joy of these years, however, was provided by his grandchildren: Sarah, Elizabeth Brooks, Aaron, Jason, Robert, Sondra, and Alexandra Fields, and Nate and Megan Trinrud and, more recently, his greatgrandchildren: Jimmy and Nathan Hall, Malena Davis, Jacob Brooks, and Bergen Fields.
Bill was above all a caring family member, a skilled craftsman and union man, an American Baptist, and a Democrat. He was to the end uncompromising in his commitment to liberal social policies and progressive political movements.
He and Esther, who continues to reside in their Rock Island home, would have been married 65 years this summer.
Funeral services will be 12:00 p.m. Thursday, February 9, 2006 at First Baptist Church, Moline. Visitation will be Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. at Esterdahl Mortuary & Crematory, Ltd. 6601-38th Ave., Moline. Entombment will be at Memorial Park, Rock Island. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Churches United or the Awana Youth Program at First Baptist Church, Rock Island.
Online condolences may be expressed to William's family by visiting his obituary at
www.esterdahlmortuary.com
To send flowers to the family in memory of William W. Fields, please visit our flower store.