Obituary for Richard Warren "Dick" Fields
Richard “Dick” Warren Fields died of natural causes on March 20, 2022, at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, Wausau, WI.
Dick was born March 12, 1934, on the family farm in Benton, IL, the only child of Curran and Pauline (Doty) Fields. He graduated from Norris City High School in 1952 and was that community’s first Eagle Scout.
He enrolled at the University of Illinois, where he studied agronomy. He met the love of his life, Mary Ann Stick, on a blind date during his junior year. Mary Ann said later she knew by the end of that first date she would marry him, which they did on July 7, 1956, in her hometown of Freeport, IL.
Dick graduated from the U of I that year and they moved to St. Paul, MN, where he worked on a master’s degree in plant pathology at the University of Minnesota. He earned his master’s in 1961 and quickly found work with Libby’s corporation at Blue Island, IL, then with the Velsicol Chemical Corporation (later, the Sandoz Corporation), where he was employed for the next 33 years, retiring in 1994.
His job required periodic moves and he and his family lived in Park Forest, IL; Adelphi, MD; and St. Charles and Geneva, IL. He worked in management positions and finished his career as a highly regarded Senior Sales Specialist.
In addition to his full-time job, Dick and Mary Ann were owners of several rental properties and later co-owners of a commercial greenhouse and pre-school/daycare center in Geneva, endeavors that kept him busy on weekends.
When he retired, Dick and MaryAnn moved to their home on Morton Lake in Presque Isle Township, property they purchased in 1971. They spent their winters at their Mesquite, NV, home and the rest of the year in the Northwoods, until they moved full-time to Wisconsin in the early 2000s.
In 2003, Dick and Mary Ann began researching the history of the Fields family. They spent hours scouring public records at county court houses and libraries and visiting old, nearly forgotten cemeteries. Their genealogical research took them on numerous trips around the US, including one three-week, 4,000-mile road trip. They met distant relatives and collected volumes of letters, birth certificates, property deeds, and other family documents.
Dick self-published in 2014 “My Family Quest,” a memoir/family history that was the culmination of his years of research. The book was accepted into the Library of Congress’ genealogy collection.
Dick was actively involved in volunteer leadership positions throughout his adult life. He and Mary Ann were founding members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Woodruff, WI. There, he served as board member and chairman of the fund-raising and spiritual committees. He was instrumental in establishing the Fellowship’s Memorial Garden.
He was equally involved with the Natural Lakes’ Homeowners’ Association, where he served as president and board member. As the roads committee chairman, Dick is remembered for his daily walks to check on road conditions.
Dick was also president of both the Friends of the Boulder Junction Library and Northern Waters Genealogical Society.
While he had a sterling work ethic, Dick knew how to relax. He was an avid golfer and scored a Hole-in-One on the 15th green at the Trout Lake golf course in the early 1990s. He loved socializing and hosting his and Mary Ann’s many friends at their home.
He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Ann; daughters Susan Fields of Tallahassee, FL, and Cathy (Warren) Ashworth of Houston, TX; son David (Corliss) Fields of Neillsville; grand-children Sarah and Benjamin Fields of Neillsville, Will Ashworth of Houston, TX, and Kim (Kevin) McKee of Spring, TX; and great-grandchildren Allie and Kate McKee of Spring, TX.
Dick led a full and remarkable life. He was unfailingly good-natured and unselfish with his time and resources. He will be loved and missed by his family and those who came to know him.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 am on July 16, 2022 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 8625 Peggy’s Ln, Woodruff, WI 54568 followed by a light lunch.
Dick’s wishes were for his ashes to be spread at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Memorial Garden in Woodruff and at the Bethel Cemetery, near Benton, IL, where his parents and extended family are buried. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that contributions be made to the donor’s preferred charity.
Dick was born March 12, 1934, on the family farm in Benton, IL, the only child of Curran and Pauline (Doty) Fields. He graduated from Norris City High School in 1952 and was that community’s first Eagle Scout.
He enrolled at the University of Illinois, where he studied agronomy. He met the love of his life, Mary Ann Stick, on a blind date during his junior year. Mary Ann said later she knew by the end of that first date she would marry him, which they did on July 7, 1956, in her hometown of Freeport, IL.
Dick graduated from the U of I that year and they moved to St. Paul, MN, where he worked on a master’s degree in plant pathology at the University of Minnesota. He earned his master’s in 1961 and quickly found work with Libby’s corporation at Blue Island, IL, then with the Velsicol Chemical Corporation (later, the Sandoz Corporation), where he was employed for the next 33 years, retiring in 1994.
His job required periodic moves and he and his family lived in Park Forest, IL; Adelphi, MD; and St. Charles and Geneva, IL. He worked in management positions and finished his career as a highly regarded Senior Sales Specialist.
In addition to his full-time job, Dick and Mary Ann were owners of several rental properties and later co-owners of a commercial greenhouse and pre-school/daycare center in Geneva, endeavors that kept him busy on weekends.
When he retired, Dick and MaryAnn moved to their home on Morton Lake in Presque Isle Township, property they purchased in 1971. They spent their winters at their Mesquite, NV, home and the rest of the year in the Northwoods, until they moved full-time to Wisconsin in the early 2000s.
In 2003, Dick and Mary Ann began researching the history of the Fields family. They spent hours scouring public records at county court houses and libraries and visiting old, nearly forgotten cemeteries. Their genealogical research took them on numerous trips around the US, including one three-week, 4,000-mile road trip. They met distant relatives and collected volumes of letters, birth certificates, property deeds, and other family documents.
Dick self-published in 2014 “My Family Quest,” a memoir/family history that was the culmination of his years of research. The book was accepted into the Library of Congress’ genealogy collection.
Dick was actively involved in volunteer leadership positions throughout his adult life. He and Mary Ann were founding members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Woodruff, WI. There, he served as board member and chairman of the fund-raising and spiritual committees. He was instrumental in establishing the Fellowship’s Memorial Garden.
He was equally involved with the Natural Lakes’ Homeowners’ Association, where he served as president and board member. As the roads committee chairman, Dick is remembered for his daily walks to check on road conditions.
Dick was also president of both the Friends of the Boulder Junction Library and Northern Waters Genealogical Society.
While he had a sterling work ethic, Dick knew how to relax. He was an avid golfer and scored a Hole-in-One on the 15th green at the Trout Lake golf course in the early 1990s. He loved socializing and hosting his and Mary Ann’s many friends at their home.
He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Mary Ann; daughters Susan Fields of Tallahassee, FL, and Cathy (Warren) Ashworth of Houston, TX; son David (Corliss) Fields of Neillsville; grand-children Sarah and Benjamin Fields of Neillsville, Will Ashworth of Houston, TX, and Kim (Kevin) McKee of Spring, TX; and great-grandchildren Allie and Kate McKee of Spring, TX.
Dick led a full and remarkable life. He was unfailingly good-natured and unselfish with his time and resources. He will be loved and missed by his family and those who came to know him.
A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 am on July 16, 2022 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 8625 Peggy’s Ln, Woodruff, WI 54568 followed by a light lunch.
Dick’s wishes were for his ashes to be spread at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Memorial Garden in Woodruff and at the Bethel Cemetery, near Benton, IL, where his parents and extended family are buried. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that contributions be made to the donor’s preferred charity.