La Grande, Oregon
Formerly of La Grande
Elizabeth Fields, 93, formerly of La Grande, died Oct. 18 at a care center in Kennewick. Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center is in charge of arrangements.
La Grande Observer – October 19, 2009
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Elizabeth Fields
Formerly of La Grande
1916-2009
Elizabeth Ann Fields, 93, a former longtime resident of Pilot Rock and later of La Grande, died Oct. 18 in Kennewick. Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center is in charge of the arrangements.
She was born Aug. 3, 1916, in Pilot Rock, the eighth of nine children born to Samuel Monroe and Flora Anna Albaugh Galbreath. She grew up near California Gulch along East Birch Creek south of Pilot Rock before attending La Grande High School.
She and Ilo Fields were married Oct. 30, 1936, in Walla Walla. They lived in La Grande for the next 31 years where they owned and operated one of the first chainsaw shops in the Grande Ronde Valley. Later they added motorcycle sales and repairs to the business.
Those who knew the couple say both were excellent skeet sharpshooters with Ilo winning one or two state championships. “We survived many a winter on those turkeys and hams (won at the competitions),” she liked to say.
Both enjoyed the outdoors and made numerous excursions into the surrounding wilderness to fish and hunt, taking their beloved golden retrievers with them. The couple loved to square dance, play cards and join the rest of the family for evenings filled with music and singing.
After Ilo died in 1967, Beth continued to live on Z Avenue in La Grande until she moved to Ephrata, Wash. She returned to La Grande in the 1980s to be closer to her family. She and her brothers, nieces and nephews researched pioneer roads in Eastern Oregon during these years. She was passionate about sports, especially Mariners baseball.
Earlier this decade, she moved to the Tri-Cities where her brother Don resided. Beth lived at the Royal Columbian Retirement Inn in Kennewick until her death.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband; and siblings, Merle, Mable, Melvin, Miles, Gerald, Isabelle, Jonathan and Donald.
La Grande Observer – October 23, 2009