George Bryon Fields III

George Byron Fields, III died on August 3, 2013 after nearly a year long battle with cancer. He was 77 years old. George served 23 distinguished years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a MSGT. George started his military career as a radar operator in Bangor, Maine. Afterwards, he became a pioneer in the computer field, where he worked for many years as a computer programmer on large IBM mainframe computers for the USAF. During his lengthy career George served in the Korean War and was stationed at numerous air force bases across the United States and Europe. He completed tours of duty in both Germany and Italy. After leaving the Air Force he went back to school in Spokane Washington to receive an associate's degree in Computer Sciences, which he put to good use by heading up the City of Spokane's Computer Service Department for several years before finally retiring. George grew up in a small house in New Orleans, Louisiana and never forgot his humble roots. His mother was Elmira Catherine Richard and his father was George Byron Fields, II. George (known as Sonny Boy growing up) was the eldest of 6 children. He was very close to his surviving sisters: Elaine, Ruby, and Pat. George also had a very special bond with his surviving younger brother, Jerry, and his deceased brother Joe. George's first wife, Gaynell Wendy Bernadette Randolph, was also his high school sweetheart. They were married for nearly 40 years and had three children together: Leslie, Christy and his son George Byron Fields, IV (a/k/a Manny). George loved all of his children and had a special fondness for Jeff, Leslie's husband and Lisa, Manny's wife. After Gaynell passed away, George married Yvonne Marcella Fernandez from Trinidad, Colorado. George and Yvonne (called Bonnie by friends and family) lived happily together for 15 years before his death in Pueblo, Colorado. During the marriage George grew very close to Bonnie's son, Aaron and Aaron's wife Jennifer, and the feelings were reciprocated. George often remarked that he was lucky to have had two wonderful marriages with two remarkable women during his lifetime. He was truly blessed. George was a sports enthusiast and especially liked watching the Washington Redskins and Tiger Woods. After retirement, he became an avid sports memorabilia collector. He had a dedicated following of clients that loved nothing better than shooting the breeze with him about their favorite player or most memorable game. George always had time for people and people liked being around George. He was caring, kind, and truly genuine in his feelings. Though George had simple tastes, he was also a man of many contradictions. He liked fishing, but couldn't swim a stroke. He loved to eat, especially Creole and Cajun food, but never weighed more than 130 lbs his entire life. Although George served in the USAF for 23 years, his fear of flying kept him earthbound for the last 20 years of his life. Bonnie lovingly obliged his frequent road trips from Denver to his beloved New Orleans to visit family and friends. In addition to his surviving children, George leaves behind 5 exceptional grandchildren: Chelsea Kauppila, Nicholas Kauppila, Anna Fields Howard, Brevin Fields, and yes, George Byron Fields, V, proving that family legacies never die.