Shirley Fields, a longtime resident of West Dry Creek, passed away at age 86 on January 26th after a short illness. Born Shirley Mae Barton in Roscoe, South Dakota in 1935, she was preceded in death by the love of her life, John Paul Fields. She is survived by her daughters Terri Fields Hosler (Steve) and Cheryl Morgan (Mark), and four grandchildren Jennifer Renquist (Andrew), Melinda Morgan-Green (Dan), Christian Hosler and Taylor Hosler. Great-grandchildren Nick, Rylee, Evie, and Aiden brought endless joy to Shirley in her final years.
Shirley spent her first 18 years of life in rural South Dakota, moving to Montana with her family in 1953. A year later they moved to Oakdale, California. Her and John met there and were married in Escalon, CA in July 1958. After living in the Bay Area, they moved their young family to Cloverdale when John began working for CalTrans at the Geyserville Maintenance Yard.
In 1967 they bought the house on Pena Creek that they both lived in until their deaths, thanks to the loving caregiving of Cheryl and Mark. Shirley focused on raising her two girls while volunteering at Geyserville Elementary School as a teacher’s aide. Neighbors and numerous nieces and nephews remember Shirley’s infectious laugh and warm, welcoming personality.
Shirley always had the cookie jar full for the grandchildren and the coffeepot on for neighbors who stopped by. She shared her famous apple pie and carrot cake at family get-togethers and loved to can peaches and pears and make applesauce and jelly from local fruit.
Shirley will be missed terribly as a mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend. Many have said over the years that she was the most positive person they knew, never saying a bad word about anyone. Shirley’s approach to life was inspiring and a model for us all.
I think about both Shirley and John fondly and remember their neighborly kindness. I’m sad to learn both have passed. I meet both through my dear friend Chris Hoskins who’s 2 children where baby sat by Shirley and her girls. Sadly, Chris has also passed in late 2021 at 75. 🌸. My deepest sympathies, Sandy O’Brien-Sylvers