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Melvin Ray ‘Jack’ Fields, 79

Oct. 13, 1937 – May 19, 2017

Melvin Ray Fields, aka Jack Fields, 79, of Lake Stevens, Wash., peacefully passed away May 19, 2017, from a cardiac arrest occurring on May 8, 2017, leaving this world to his heavenly world.

Our kind and gentle husband, father, brother and uncle was born Oct. 13, 1937, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, to parents, the late Harold “Jack” and Elvina (Adam) Fields. Coeur d’Alene is where he lived his formative years and attended schools. He then served his country in the U.S. Army for six years.

Jack’s interest in aircraft brought him to the Seattle area to work for The Boeing Company from which he retired after 34 years of helping to build airplanes. He was proud to have worked on the first 747 plane built in Everett, Wash.

He married his wife, of 55 years, Gloria Sue Stokes in Seattle, Wash., and together they raised their children, Karen and Tim in Mountlake Terrace and Everett, Wash., eventually becoming longtime residents of Lake Stevens, Wash.

Jack’s other interests included, hunting, fishing, RVing, airplanes, trains and model railroading. He could identify by site, planes in the sky or over the media. His pride of late was his “in progress” model railroad layout. He was a self-made carpenter and loved working with wood and power tools. He often used those skills to help friends and family. He did, unfortunately, lack a skill to start any motor requiring a pull cord to start.

Jack was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and infant brother Harold Jr. He is survived by his wife, Sue; daughter; Karen Fields of Lake Stevens; son Tim Fields of Granite Falls, Wash.; sister Sharon Hoialmen of Coeur d’Alene; grandson Tyler Fields, U.S. Army, of Fayetteville, N.C., currently stationed in the Baltic countries; nieces and nephews; and extended family member, Jeff Culver (Debbie) of Coeur d’Alene.

The family expresses a special “Thanks” to all staff in the Providence Regional Medical Center ICU unit and to our many longtime close friends for their care and prayers for Jack.

Join us in celebration of Jack’s life at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 17, 2017, at our home.