Birth Date: 09/12/1928
Deceased Date: 10/28/2023
Dr. W. Osborne (Ossie) Fields, educator, passed quietly in Charlotte, NC. He was born in Selma, NC in 1928; he was the youngest of seven children of Wilbert and Mary Fields. In addition to his parents and seven siblings, he was predeceased in 2013 by his loving and devoted wife of nearly 62 years, Jean Kirby of Selma, NC.
Surviving Dr. Fields are a daughter, Sara (Larry) Moore of Chesterfield, VA, and a son Frank (Mary Beth) Fields of Charlotte, two grandchildren, Jay (Kate) Whitesell and Rachel (Stan) Pittman, and five great grandchildren, Kirby, Bennett and Judah Pittman, and Emma Paige and Parker Whitesell.
Following his graduation from UNC Chapel Hill, he served his country during the Korean War with the Army’s First Guided Missiles Group at Fort Bliss, Texas. Following his military service, he taught at the elementary and high school levels in Johnston County, followed by five years as a principal in Bertie County. Dr. Fields’ love for education led him back to Chapel Hill where he earned his Master’s and Doctor of Education degrees with a minor in American History. Upon leaving Chapel Hill in 1963, as Superintendent of Rocky Mount City Schools, he guided the school system from racial segregation to total racial integration.
In late 1970, he was called to Raleigh to serve as Assistant State Superintendent for Administrative Services with the NC Department of Public Instruction. In 1975 he responded to the call to lead three school systems of Wilson County into a merged, unified single system which became a model for other school systems in the State. He retired from the public schools in 1987 but continued his work for several years with the North Carolina Association of School Administrators, first as director of leadership development and then Director of the Association. Following full retirement in 1992, he continued for several years as a consultant with the association and with several local school units across North Carolina.
In the early 1990’s, Dr. and Mrs. Fields returned to their native County of Johnston and volunteered their services in numerous activities including the County Council on Aging, The Neuse Little Theatre, and the Performing Arts programs at the Community College. Dr. Fields was also a leader in the development of the Johnston County Heritage Center as an original member of it’s Board of Directors and subsequently as Chairman for several years. He was Co-Chair of the Center’s original capital campaign to open the center. A proud member of Selma Post 141 of the American Legion. He served the part as Adjutant for more than twenty years.
Among their great joys of returning home, Dr. and Mrs. Fields became active members of Centenary United Methodist Church in Smithfield, continuing the same pattern they had set in the eight other Methodist churches in which they had membership throughout their marriage.
The funeral service for Dr. Fields will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 4th, at Centenary United Methodist Church in Smithfield, at 140 E. Market St. The family will greet friends and extended family in the Fellowship Hall following the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial contribution to Centenary UMC, the Emergency Relief Fund, or to the Johnston County Heritage Center, PO Box 2709, Smithfield NC, 27577.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at parrishfh.com.
