Richard 'Dick' Fields

Richard “Dick” Fields, 74, died on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009 in Spokane, Wash.

He was born on June 29, 1934 to Richard and Gertrude Fields in Sidney. He grew up and attended school in Libby before joining the U.S. Navy in 1952.

Mr. Fields served as a hospital coreman in Hawaii, Japan and other ports of call. After serving in the Navy, he returned to Libby and married Peggy Anne Role on Sept. 16, 1956.

The couple started their life together in Cheney, Wash., where they both attended Eastern Washington University. He graduated from EWU completing a bachelor’s degree in education. Busy working and attending school, the couple started a family of four children in 1958. After college, Mr. Fields went on to teach Math in Mead, Wash., for 29 years, retiring in 1989.

In 1972, they moved to Sacheen Lake just north of Spokane and raised their children, Mary Anne, Susan, Craig and Joel, and made lifelong friends of all the neighbors. The couple called Sacheen Lake home for 32 years before moving to Spokane Valley, Wash., in 2004.

Mr. Fields enjoyed boating on Sacheen Lake with family, collecting lanterns, cooking,  playing cards with his wife, spending time with friends, enjoying sports and “sewing buttons on a cake of soap.”

He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Gertrude; brother, Willis Fields; sisters, Mary Jo Anderson and Elva Hauck; and wife of 51 years, Peggy Anne Fields.

He is survived by their four children, Mary Anne Zimmer of Spokane; Susan Herrin and her husband Mike of Troy; Craig Fields and his wife Teresa; and Joel and his wife Jennifer, of Spokane Valley; 14 grandchildren, Ryan, Kristen and Caitlin Zimmer, Lindsey DeShazer and her husband Vince, Tera and Jessica Fields, Omar, Jessid and Juan Herrin, Matthew Bichler, Corrin, Ashley, Kaley and Lydia Fields; three great grandchildren, Tayvin, Penelope and Avi; sister, Frances Noyes and her husband Joseph of Spokane Valley; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

At the request of Mr. Fields, there will be no services. The Fields family will gather in honor of Dick and Peggy Fields at their much-loved home on Sacheen Lake in the summer of 2009.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Spokane Hospice.