Betty Jean (Hawkins) Fields, 82 of Loogootee, Indiana, died at 1:57pm Saturday, November 7th, 2020 in New Albany, Indiana due to complications from COVID 19. She was born July 16, 1938 in Needmore, Lawrence Co., Indiana to Kingery Forest Hawkins and Jacqueline “Jackie” Rebecca Skirvin. She was a 1955 graduate of Loogootee High School and attended Vincennes University.
Married for 65 years, she wed Rev. Carl Edward Fields in Loogootee, Indiana on June 19, 1955. A devout Christian woman, Betty prayed for others daily, speaking life into all she met, offering encouragement, and always ready to testify of God’s grace. God and family were the two most important things in her life. She prayed for each of her children and grandchildren by name every day of her Christian life. Betty supported Carl’s Nazarene and Wesleyan church ministries in Franklin, Brownsburg, Epsom, Poplar Grove, and Newberry Indiana, and Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia
In addition to the traditional job duties of a pastor’s wife including teaching Sunday School and supporting many missionary ministries, Betty worked at Indiana University, NSWC Crane, NAPEC Crane, NAVSEA -Washington DC, SAIC, and several federal government defense contractors. Betty’s distinguished career with the Department of Defense included working over 20 years at the Pentagon in Washington DC, as a high-level civilian program manager in charge of multiple National Defense Ammunition Budgets for the Army and the Navy. Reporting directly to several Admirals of the Navy, she received a Presidential Civilian Act Award in 2003 in addition to Financial Management and Business Processes achievement awards too numerous to list during her 40 year career in the Federal Government and Department of Defense.
In recent years, she loved playing euchre with family and friends, spending time with her grandchildren, and spending time with her beloved dog Minnie. She also started a tax accounting firm, BJ’s Acccounting, after her retirement from the federal government. Betty also co-owned a gun and clock business in Loogootee with her husband Carl, Design’s N Time.
Survivors include children Forrest Edward “Butch”Fields (Cherryl) of Washington, Russell Wayne Fields (Teressa) of Bedford, Daniel Job Fields (Courtney) of Montgomery, Angella Marie Dougherty (Doug) of Washington, grandchildren Shane Fields, Brandon Fields, Audra Miller (Scott), Derek Fields (Malynda), Olivia Fields, Matthew Fields (Alicia), Drew Fields, Aleah Fields, Shayla Fields, Marilyn Stevens (Chris), Bryan Miller, and Joseph Miller (Ashley), 19 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild, siblings Nancy Willhite of Indianapolis, Ann Kelsay (Jack) of Indianapolis, and Phyllis France (Mark) of Indianapolis. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by sister Mary Featherston and great grandchild, Haven Stevens.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at Bethany Christian Church with Rev. Richard Dubbeld officiating. Burial will follow in Sugarland Memory Gardens. Visitation will be held from 11:00 am until the service time at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Loogootee High School Alumni Association. Goodwin-Sievers Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Betty Fields.
