Shirley Watkins Fields

Shirley Lee Fields, 79, passed away peacefully in her sleep, Friday, December 18, 2020, with family by her side in Charleston, South Carolina.

A virtual memorial service will be held in her honor at 5:00 PM, Saturday, January 9, 2020. The Memorial Service will be organized by Bishop Andrew Watkins. We are asking everyone to save this date and send him your name, email address and phone number to aw1028@outlook.com. His contact number (866) 306-5644.

Shirley was born July 23, 1941, in Florence, SC a daughter of Luther Harkless and Mary George. Her father was a Minister in the church and her mother was a loving wife and faithful missionary.

Shirley spent summers with her family in Florence, SC, Earhardt, SC and Brooklyn, New York. She graduated from High School in 1957 and graduated from Nursing School and became a nurse for the Veterans Administration. She met and married Eugene Watkins. They lived in Brooklyn, New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her husband was formerly in the Navy and was a long distance truck driver.

She divorced and married William Donald Fields after moving to Charleston, SC and was in a loving marriage for over 30 years. William is retired from the Citadel Military College and is a drummer for the Oscar Rivers Trio. In her later years, she graduated from Limestone College with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a Doctorate of Letters from The Christian University of Southern Indiana.

Her interests included family, reading and baking with her oldest daughter, Rosemaria. She devoted much of her time and energy to caring for her large family.

Mrs. Fields is survived by her husband, William Donald Fields; three sons and their spouses, Norris, Andrew and Steven Watkins; two daughters and their spouses, Rosemaria Walker and Crystal Mckinney; as well as 20+ grandchildren and great-grandchildren.