Anna Lee Fields

ANNA LEE FIELDS 1927 - 2020

Anna Lee was born on January 9th in Tranquility, California, the daughter of Olin and Leota Kemp, and the sister to Loren and Martin. Before the family moved to Fresno, California, a lifelong friendship was formed between Anna Lee "Mom" and Maxine Benkert, and their families remained close for years to come. Mom graduated from Roosevelt High School in Fresno, in 1945 as World War II came to an end. Robert L. Fields came home from England after five years, and met Mom through a mutual friend. In 1947, Mom and Robert "Poppa" were married; going on to spend 63 wonderful years together. Over the first four years of marriage, they settled into creating a home, and became parents with the birth of Patricia and Sue.

At an early age, Mom developed a love for music and the piano, with the help of her mother, a piano teacher. The love for music filled the home and stayed with Mom all her life. Mom's father was a master mechanic who enabled his family to weather the depression.

The Love of Jesus, God's gift to us all, was planted early in Mom's childhood. This gift grew unto Poppa, and the family. Upon moving to Bakersfield in 1959, Mom and Poppa found a little church "up on the hill", University Baptist. This was a new beginning for the church, and our family. Mom and Poppa made lifelong friends, and had many opportunities to support University Baptist, now Parkside Church, through the years. When life took them to Marin County and later to Lake Havasu, Mom and Poppa were able to continue to grow their church family. In 1986, they returned to Bakersfield, and reunited with Parkside Church.

As a working mother and wife, Mom started her career in Fresno, continued it in Bakersfield, and then ended it in Marin as an executive secretary, who was invaluable to all her employers.

In 1989, Mom was gifted a new title: Grandma. Kelsey Anne Licastro, the daughter of Joseph and Sue Licastro, was born and became the delight to both Mom and Poppa. In the last year of her life, Mom was given another new title of Great-Grandma with the arrival of Joseph Dean Knutson, son of Kelsey and Matthew Knutson.

Mom and Poppa had their love for family, friends, and Jesus, making us all thankful for who they were.

Our family is thankful to Dr. Jorge del Toro and his supportive staff, Optimal Hospice, and Lucinda Reed for adding to Mom's final moments on Earth before joining those waiting for her in Heaven: Poppa, her parents, brothers and sisters-in-law; Alyce and Jane, along with aunts, uncles and cousins who filled Mom's early years with love and faith.

During these unpredictable times, the celebration of life for Anna Lee "Mom" Fields will be held in the Spring of 2021.