William “Bill” Roy Fields was born on April 26, 1946, in San Rafael, CA. He was the firstborn child to Otho “Pete” and Zada Fields (née Gravier), and older brother to Cheri and Pamela. He spent the first 10 years of his life in CA in the hills above San Francisco. At age 10, his father took his family back east to Dunbar, WV where he spent the rest of his childhood. Before graduating from Dunbar High School in 1964, he enlisted in the United States Army, leaving for basic training without even attending graduation. He trained as a combat medic and further as a psychiatric specialist, spending his three enlisted years working in the psych wards at Army hospitals and bases, including Valley Forge General Hospital in Pennsylvania. He married Carolyn “Penny” Nichols in December of 1966. Together, they finished his time in the Army at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1967 as a sergeant at E5 rank. While he never went to Vietnam, he volunteered to go twice and was turned down because he was needed stateside. Instead, he spent his enlisted days working with soldiers returning from combat with severe PTSD, which affected him deeply and added to his own PTSD. He sacrificed a part of himself and of his mind to serve his country and fellow soldiers. While he lived first for Christ and then his family, he greatly honored his brothers in arms, and the military became part of his heritage.

After the Army, Bill and Penny moved to Wheaton, IL where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Wheaton College on the GI bill. He had played football all through his youth, then for the Army and at Wheaton, even playing after graduation. He stayed in Wheaton for 40 years where he and his wife started their family and raised their daughters. He worked many different jobs over those years- insurance sales for Northwestern Mutual Life, direct mailing and fund development for various ministries and organizations, as a counselor at The Positorium alternative school, at Door Systems, and many others, but his main work was always in ministry. He spent time on staff with Bibles for the World, Youth for Christ International, Metro Chicago Youth for Christ, and then for many years, his own ministry called Peacemakers International, in which he focused on personal counseling and conflict resolution with churches or religious organizations. He hosted a Christian talk radio show, The Real World, in the early 1980s. In 2002, he started an online job board for Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners that he managed until retirement in 2013. He was a talented writer, speaker, and quite successful in business and marketing and fund raising. He resided for over 40 years in Wheaton, IL, and also 8 years in Menasha, WI, and 9 years in Hemet, CA. 

Bill had a dynamic personality, larger than life in many ways. He was a servant to many. He loved children and was a giant teddy bear of a man, dressing up as Santa or just playing with any kids in the room he was in. His laugh would fill a room. Bill was generous—he gave away far more than he ever kept for himself and took great joy in being secretly generous. He wanted to give to others so much that his life was defined by how he gave in many ways. He was content living simply with just a few possessions and his theological books. He loved his family and worked hard to provide for and protect them.

Bill was deeply empathetic, intuitive, and a deep thinker. He could often be found sitting a the end of the couch in his office looking out the window, thinking and praying. Because of his God-given gifts, his upbringing, and his time in the Army, he was a protector and a defender of the defenseless. At least four times, he saved someone’s life, even putting his own life in danger at times. He couldn’t help but canvas a room and be aware of all the potential circumstances that could occur in which he would need to act quickly. But his best work, that he most loved doing, was leading people to the One who can save people spiritually. 

Above all else, Bill was dedicated to Jesus Christ and his kingdom. He had a calling on his life from a young age and spent his whole life ministering to others for the sake of Jesus. As is true of anyone, he was not perfect but he knew the One who is perfect. He lived his life in view of the verses "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6). Bill knew that it was only because of Christ’s death that he would be able to stand before God. He knew his need for a savior. He would tell you without a doubt that that Savior is Jesus Christ. 

Bill passed away from dementia and was found deceased on January 2, 2024 in Hemet, CA. He is preceded in death by his parents, Otho and Zada Fields (née Gravier), his sister Cheri Fields McKinney, and son-in-law Chad DeFrates. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Carolyn “Penny” Fields (née Nichols); daughters Jennifer DeFrates, Lauren Brown (Matt), and Karen Luebke (Aaron); his grandchildren Connor, Meredith, Trenton, Nathan, Allyson, Micah, Grace, and Silas; his sister Pamela Atkinson Howard (Phil); and many nieces and nephews. 

A memorial service will be held on March 28th in the historic White Chapel building at Wheaton Academy 900 N Prince Crossing Rd, West Chicago, IL 60185. Visitation will begin at 5:30pm with a memorial service to follow at 6:30. ( https://families.wheatonacade… ). Interment will be at Fort Sheridan National Cemetery in Lake Forest, IL, in a private ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the name of William R. Fields to provide Bibles to American Armed Services Personnel and Veterans. For online donation, please visit (this link has been automatically designated in memory of Bill):

https://armedservicesministry…

To mail a donation, please contact us directly. 

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