Obituary of Frances Antionette Fields

Frances (Tony) Antionette Fields, 92, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado passed away the morning of Friday, April 26, 2019 at Lutheran Medical Center Emergency Room in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Born, February 25, 1927 in Lawrence County, Indiana, she was one of seven children and the youngest daughter of Murl James Evans and Thelma Miller Evans.

A 1945 graduate of Fayetteville School, Frances grew up in Fayetteville, Indiana on Burgers Point and Pinkston Hill. She married Kenneth (Kenny) Gordon Fields on May 17, 1946 in a double wedding in LaPorte, Indiana.  They lived in Lafayette, Indiana while Kenny attended Purdue University.  They moved to Washington and then to Vincennes, Indiana. Kenny’s job took them to Indianapolis and then Des Plaines outside of Chicago, Illinois. She also lived in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  Frances worked as a floral designer for many years.  She also worked at Procon, a division of Universal Oil Products, as the lead secretary for the Project Management Team.  In addition, she worked as a hostess at Henrici’s Steak and Lobster Restaurant in Arlington Heights. She retired from Procon and moved to Zionsville, Indiana before moving to Colorado to be near her daughter, Cynthia and grandchildren, Michelle, Kevin and Matthew. Her love of playing slot machines took her to Las Vegas for several years before she returned to Colorado.

Frances (Tony) made a favorable impression on everyone she met.  She loved baking, sewing, knitting and crocheting.  She won a local pie competition several years in a row, receiving numerous blue ribbons and was considered the “one to beat”.  The Denver Post did a full-page article on her and identified her as the “Pie Lady”.  An exciting time was when the Denver Radio Station KOSI interviewed her about her pie success. She had never been in a live radio station before.  She made not only pies but the best Strawberry Cake which became the cake of choice for several of the family members birthdays.  She sewed and customized aprons, knitted and crocheted numerous beautiful baby blankets, created one-of-a-kind Quilling Wedding Pictures that couples continue to cherish to this day as one of their favorite wedding keepsakes. 

Tony loved Las Vegas and while she was there enjoyed playing the “Wheel of Fortune” slot machines, going to Margaritaville and eating buffets.  She celebrated several birthdays in Las Vegas, including her 88^{th .} and 90^th.  During these celebrations her family would wheel her around the casinos with her tiara and margarita glasses on and her wheelchair decorated with birthday signs.  As a result, Tony was a hit and received many hugs and well wishes from everyone that she passed. 

Tony loved hats.  She had glittery baseball caps for every outfit and would put on the larger beautiful hats for special occasions. Over the past several years, she would purchase a beautiful hat at the hospital gift shop when she went for her blood draws and auction the hat at her family reunion each summer to raise money for the next year’s reunion. 

She loved playing scrabble.  If no one was around to play with, she would play against herself.  As a result, she became very good and was always the one to beat in the family.  Cracker Barrel was one of her favorite places to go for breakfast and shopping.  She valued family time and enjoyed cooking her favorite meals.  Sitting, talking and completing jigsaw puzzles and playing Sudoku was an enjoyable way for her to stay constantly busy.

She was a strong woman who taught her family what it was like to live and survive the depression and grow up in the country. This resulted in her deep appreciation of life.  She loved to laugh and have fun.  She was a strong family supporter, identifying what was important in everyone’s life and always found a way, on a limited budget, to constantly give and support her family.  She will be missed more than words can express.

She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Jane Fields King, five grandchildren: Michelle Frances King Colaizzi (Richard), Kevin Michael King (Trisha McGee), Matthew Evans King (Hannah LaForest), Douglas Everett Fields, Gregory Allen Fields Jr., two great-grandchildren, Ryne Christopher Colaizzi and Erik Kevin King and another great-grandchild on the way in October.  One brother William (Bill) Edward Evans and 10 nieces and nephews: Danny Haskett, Janice Haskett Hutchings, Patty Haskett Conner, Trudy Evans Holtsclaw, Toby Evans, Treena Evans Nikirk, Christy Evans James, Michael Evans, Melissa Evans King and Melinda Evans May.  Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her father, Murl James Evans (Deceased 1977), mother, Thelma Miller Evans (Deceased 1970), one son, Gregory Allen Fields (Deceased 2010), five siblings: Wilma Delores Evans Haskett (Deceased 2009), Elmer James (Jim) Evans (Deceased 1993), Benjamin (Ben) Alva Evans (Deceased 2004), Robert (Bob) Eugene Evans (Deceased 2010) and Charles David (David) Evans (Deceased 2018) and one nephew, Philip Evans (Deceased 2006).

Funeral services will be conducted at the Fayetteville Baptist Church on Friday, May 3^rd, 2019.  Public viewing 10-12 a.m with service at noon. Burial to follow at the Fayetteville Community Cemetery, Fayetteville, Indiana.