James R. "Buddy" Fields

James Robert “JR” “Buddy” Fields was born on February 20, 1920, in West, Texas. He was 102 years young when he went to Heaven to see his beloved Savior. He was born to Samuel and Katherine Fields. At Itasca High School, JR fell in love at his first sight with Joanna Barnes and married her on October 7, 1939, when he was 19 and she was 16. On December 7, 1941, he left Itasca, Texas to join the U.S. Navy for WW II. He taught gunnery operations to the naval officers starting at Ward Island in Corpus Christi, Texas. JR was with the Navy as they retook the Mariana Islands in 1944 and was in Guam when WW II ended. He loved serving his country and was very proud to be a WW II Veteran. JR started his civilian career working for Shaw Machinery and then Prescon Corporation in Corpus Christi. As VP of Prescon, working with Guy Braselton, Buddy supervised construction projects around the world. Buddy and Joanna moved to Houston in 1973 where he worked for the H.R. Company until his retirement.

JR became an Ordained Minister and served at Evangelistic Temple in Houston, Texas and Bethel Assembly of God in Cleburne, Texas. Buddy and Joanna traveled the world preaching the Gospel. They particularly enjoyed Singapore and Borneo located in Southeast Asia. Buddy lived with, ate off the floors with, and preached to the headhunters in Borneo. Buddy and Joanna moved back to Corpus Christi in 2015 and resided at Solstice Senior Living.

JR is survived by his children: son, Reverend James Robert (Delores) Fields II; son, Will Fields; daughter, Becky (John) McGinnis; and by the Jewels in His Heavenly Crown: his grandson, Christopher (Christin) Fields; his grandson, Trevor Fields; his granddaughters, Kara McGinnis and Kathryn McGinnis; his great-grandson, Barrett Fields; and his great-granddaughter, Brecken Fields.

He is also survived by his loving sister-in-law, Nancy Gordon; numerous nephews and nieces, including Sara Kay (Don) Riley, Thomasene (Tom) Clark, and niece-in-law, Judy Henning; ex-daughter-in-law, Stephanie Fanning; and by numerous great-nephews and great-nieces, including Kelby (John) Luther, Scott Riley, Brian McCarthy, Jennifer Clark McCarthy (fiancée Michael Trovato), Jeremy Henning, Jason Henning, Jonathan Henning, Jeffrey Henning, Samantha Elkins, and John Hunter Mitchell.

Buddy enjoyed special lifelong friends: George and Darleen Williams, Betty Huneycutt, Katy and Thurman Sanders, Sandi and Hugh Pruett, and his “other” daughters: Ethel, Haystack, and Sweet Girl.

The staffs at Solstice Senior Living, at Gifted Hands of Love, at Del Cielo health care providers, at the Veterans Administration offices in Corpus Christi & in Harlingen, and at Bay Area ER & Hospital all took wonderful care of JR and he & his family are eternally grateful. In particular, JR was thankful for Lynda Salazar (the bath lady), Gracie Morales & Louis Carr (Solstice), Bonita Burleson (C&E Ministries), LaRae, Irene, & Cindy (home health care providers), and the entire, loving community of residents at Solstice Senior Living.

Reverend JR also enjoyed the spiritual connections he had with local pastors and their families; in particular, Don & Marva Leavell and Bert & Martha Ortega & their daughter Christi, and with the entire church family at Corpus Christi Christian Fellowship (CCCF).

He was loved by all, and he never met a stranger. Always happy, preaching the Word of the Lord, telling jokes, and making rabbits out of handkerchiefs to entertain the young ones.

Buddy is preceded in death by his loving wife of 78 years, Joanna Fields, his parents, Samuel and Katherine Fields; brother, Tommy (Cooter) Fields; sister, Sara (Louis) Wright; twin sister, Janie Fields Mitchell; baby sister, Dolly; son, Dewey Fields; nephews, Hunter Mitchell and Ken Henning; and son-in-law, Zeke Brewer.

Pallbearers will be Will Fields, Christopher Fields, Trevor Fields, John McGinnis, Joe McGinnis, and Jim McGinnis.

Honorary Pallbearers will be George Williams, Hugh Pruett, Marshall Young, Bert Ortega, Hector Nava, Jared Roberts, and Reverend James Robert Fields II.

The family will receive condolences on Friday, April 1, 2022, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Corpus Christi Christian Fellowship, 6602 South Staples Street, Corpus Christi, Texas where a Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM. Rite of Committal and Interment will follow at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery on IH-37 North exit #7, where the Patriot Guard will welcome the funeral procession.

For sharing words of comfort with the family of James Robert “JR” “Buddy” Fields please visit www.trevinofuneralhome.net.

Anyone wishing to give a memorial may make a donation to www.comfortencouragement.org or to www.cccf.com.

And he answering said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”

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